GUNTUR: In a major push to Guntur’s long-stalled infrastructure development, the phase-3 of the city’s Inner Ring Road (IRR) project is finally moving forward. The Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) has recently released an e-procurement notification inviting tenders for the construction of the 4.5-kilometre stretch between Swarnabharathi Nagar and Palakaluru. Estimated to cost Rs 48 crore, this stretch will complete the long-pending IRR corridor and significantly ease urban traffic pressure.
The IRR project, first conceptualised by the VGTM (Vijayawada-Guntur-Tenali-Mangalagiri) Urban Development Authority in 2005, was envisioned as a strategic bypass to channel traffic from Palnadu and western Guntur toward NH-65 and Vijayawada, without overloading the city’s narrow arterial roads.
While phases 1 and 2, covering 6.7 kilometres, were completed by 2018, the final leg was left in limbo due to shifting jurisdictions, compensation disputes, and a lack of political will during the previous administration.
Union Minister of State for Rural Development and Communication, Dr Pemmasani Chandrasekhar, who has closely followed up on the project since taking office, welcomed the tender process as a key milestone.
“The Inner Ring Road is not just a bypass. It is a foundation for Guntur’s future growth. We’ve worked hard to overcome delays and bring this vital road closer to reality,” he added, acknowledging the role of municipal and CRDA officials and local MLA B Ramanjayaneyulu in facilitating progress.
Over Rs 6.73 crore has been disbursed in compensation to affected families, and monthly assistance is being extended to landowners awaiting full settlement. The tender submission process will remain open until August 1, with work expected to commence shortly thereafter.
Local residents, who have long endured congestion and circuitous commutes, expressed relief. “We have waited over a decade for this road,” G Satyanarayana, a resident of Swarnabharathi Nagar, told TNIE. “It will not only reduce congestion but also shorten travel distances for commuters from Palnadu heading to Vijayawada.”
Adding momentum to the city’s infrastructure upgrades, Dr Pemmasani also laid the foundation stone for the reconstruction of the Nandivelugu Railway Overbridge (ROB) in Guntur East constituency recently. The Rs 36.91 crore project, stalled for years, is expected to further ease traffic bottlenecks in eastern parts of the city.