VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh government has set itself a fresh deadline for completing the long pending Kanaka Durga flyover in Vijayawada city. The new government said the project is 'likely to be completed in all respects' by December 31 this year.
The Kanaka Durga Flyover Project, aimed at easing traffic near the famous Goddess Kanaka Durga temple in Vijayawada city and also to ensure hassle-free transport on Vijayawada-Hyderabad National Highway, was started in December 2015 and the project cost at that time was estimated at Rs 447 crore. The project was supposed to be completed in one year time.
The project, however, hit several roadblocks and jumped deadline on several occasions. The previous TDP government set Dasara as the deadline but lost power in elections. The YSRC, which came into power, has now set December 31 this year as the deadline to complete the project.
Minister for Roads and Buildings Dharmana Krishna Das, along with Vijayawada Municipal Corporation officials, inspected the works today.
Dharmana Krishna Dad said Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy had directed the department to ensure completion of Kanaka Durga flyover and make it accessible for the public from the new year. Commenting on the delay, the minister said that change in designs and escalation of project cost are the major factors for deadly in completion of the flyover, he said.
Meanwhile, the municipal administration department officials said that the Centre has to release Rs 10 crore worth bills pertaining to the flyover constitution. Proposals in this regard will be sent and ensure the completion of works by December 31.
Early completion of the project was one of the pre-poll promises of Jagan Mohan Reddy and if the flyover gets over by New Year and is thrown open for public, it would ease traffic on the busy National Highway.