VIJAYAWADA: The long-pending demand of residents for a two-lane bridge over Ryves canal in Ramavarappadu was met with Finance Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu laying the foundation stone for the project on Sunday.
Since a decade, the residents of Ramavarappadu had been requesting the authorities concerned to build the bridge and had even raised `25 lakh for the purpose and deposited it in the government treasury long time ago. However, the works never took off for various reasons.
The Water Resources Department has finalised VSS Constructions as the contractor for the project, as the firm has submitted the lowest bid of `5.4 crore to execute the project.
Speaking on the occasion, Ramakrishnudu said, “The bridge is expected to be operational by the end of the year and will be named after late Chief Minister Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao,” He also said, “The State Government has sanctioned `12 crore for the development works pertaining to Brahmayyalingam cheruvu near Gollanapalli village in Gannavaram mandal of the district”.
Minister for Water Resources Devineni Umamaheswara Rao, Machilipatnam MP Konakalla Narayana Rao, Krishna District Collector B Lakshmikantham and other officials were present on the occasion.