GUNTUR: The long-awaited four-lane Road Over Bridge (ROB) at Brodipet is set to become a reality, with Union Minister of State for Rural Development and Communication Dr Pemmasani Chandrasekhar scheduled to lay the foundation stone on May 7.
The Rs 98-crore project aims to ease congestion in one of Guntur’s busiest areas. The 950-metre, 70-foot-wide bridge will stretch from the Government Women’s College to between Brodipet’s 8th and 9th lanes. The Roads and Buildings (R&B) Department will manage the dismantling of the existing two-lane structure and oversee the construction of the new bridge.
As part of the Centre’s CRIF Setu Bandhan scheme, the redevelopment replaces the original 1956 structure that connects Guntur East and West.
With the city’s population projected to grow from 6 lakh in 2011 to 10 lakh, the old ROB has been unable to handle traffic from key areas like Arundalpet, Brodipet, GGH, and AC College.
Despite the presence of a Road Under Bridge at Kankaragunta, traffic congestion persisted for over a decade as earlier expansion proposals stalled. Dr Pemmasani was instrumental in securing Central approval for the long-pending project.
The Guntur Municipal Corporation has finalised tenders and begun preliminary work, including road widening in Mudu Vanthenalu and traffic management near Kankaragunta.
The project includes 25-foot-wide service roads on both sides and the widening of a 1.6-km approach stretch. To facilitate construction, Rs 71 lakh has been paid as compensation to 20 homeowners affected near Sankar Vilas Centre.