VIJAYAWADA: In a bid to alleviate the capital city’s growing traffic congestion, the Vijayawada Western Bypass, connecting NH-16 (Chennai-Kolkata) and NH-65 (Vijayawada-Hyderabad) from Chinna Avutapalli to Gollapudi, nears completion. The bypass holds the promise of bringing significant relief to the city residents, sparing them from the traffic congestion between Hyderabad and Kolkata highways, which previously cut through Vijayawada.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to inaugurate the bypass, along with other National projects in December.The six-lane bypass project (package-3), undertaken by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and executed by the contracting agency Megha Engineering Infrastructure Limited (MEIL), is a massive undertaking designed to divert heavy vehicular traffic away from the city limits. The bypass is ready to welcome commuters, with only 1.5 km of road remaining to be completed.
Speaking to The New Indian Express, Rambabu Kola, vice president of MEIL, said, “The remaining work of the bypass, which mainly involves land acquisition for relocating electrical high tension (EHT) lines belonging to APTRANSCO, PGCIL and LANCO Kondapalli Power Ltd, is expected to conclude by November. District collector S Dilli Rao is actively engaging with landowners who have approached the court to address this issue.”Rambabu maintained that if the court cases pertaining to EHT lines are resolved, balance works are expected to be completed by December.
Speaking to TNIE, DV Narayana Reddy, project director of the NHAI Vijayawada Project Implement Unit, observed that in line with the State government’s interest, MEIL plans to complete the bypass work by December. He also mentioned that there is uncertainty over shifting of LANCO EHT lines as they are under the purview of NCLT. The Central government had allocated a budget of Rs 1148. 40 crore for the Vijayawada Western Bypass, which extends from Chinna Avutapalli to Gollapudi, connecting NH-16 and NH-65. The primary aim of this initiative is to divert traffic away from the capital city. Related to the bypass, two crucial railway over bridges (ROBs) at Marlapalem near Gannavaram and Rayanapadu near Gollapudi are already in place.
Additionally, works of one flyover at Chinna Avutapalli in Krishna district and another at Gollapudi in the NTR district have been completed. The construction of a toll plaza between Nunna and Surampalli is also completed. Works of another crucial bridge over the existing GAIL gas pipeline has also been finished.