VIJAYAWADA: Marking the completion of his first year in office, Vijayawada MP Kesineni Sivanath on Tuesday released a report titled First Step in Good Governance and outlined a string of infrastructure initiatives he says will reshape both the city and the wider NTR district.
Addressing journalists at Gurunanak Colony, Sivanath said the long-pending redevelopment of Vijayawada railway station will finally advance, with tenders for the Rs 850-crore project to be floated within a fortnight. Detailed project reports (DPRs) are also in preparation for eight rail overbridges (ROBs) at Gundala, Madhuranagar, Old Rajarajeswaripeta, Rayanapadu, Kondapalli and three other locations to ease chronic traffic snarls.
The 72-page booklet catalogues 105 interventions—from school and clinic upgrades to riverfront beautification—and sets targets for the coming year for public review online.
Under the Union government’s Amrit Bharat scheme, the satellite stations at Gunadala and Rayanapadu have been modernised and will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi ‘very soon,’ the MP said. Platform-extension and passenger-amenity works at Kondapalli station are nearing completion with the backing of Vijayawada Central MLA Bonda Uma Maheswara Rao and Mylavaram MLA Vasantha Krishna Prasad.
In the urban sector, the Capital Region Development Authority has ‘in principle’ sanctioned Rs 100 crore to create alternative roads serving Autonagar, where Metro-Rail construction is expected to disrupt existing traffic. The scheme will be implemented in coordination with East MLA Gadde Rammohan Rao. Separate DPRs have been drafted to overhaul Vijayawada’s storm-water drains, underground sewers and drinking-water network, the MP added.
A master plan for a comprehensive upgrade of the hill-top Sri Kanaka Durga temple is being readied with West MLA Sujana Chowdary, while proposals to expand facilities at Vijayawada International Airport and other airfields in NTR district are under study.
He thanked CM Naidu, HRD Minister N Lokesh, Deputy CM K Pawan Kalyan, BJP state president D Purandeswari and the people of Vijayawada for their ‘guidance.