GUNTUR:The State government has issued a notification to acquire land from farmers to lay a bypass road to National Highway 16 in Chilakaluripet and Nadendla mandals. The farmers who are against the land acquisition, have formed themselves into a committee to resist the government move.
The government issued the notification for acquisition of 388 acres from 425 farmers of Boppudi, Murikipudi and Purushothapatnam in Chilakaluripet and Ganapavaram, Edlapadu and Thimmapuram in Nadendla mandal. Post bifurcation, the vehicular traffic has increased steeply on the route, because of Rayalaseema connectivity.
It has been proposed to lay the 16.82 km bypass road at an estimated cost of Rs 850 crore to reduce traffic congestion in Chilakaluripet town. Roadside vendors and owners of hotels and other establishments are also against laying of the bypass road as it will affect their businesses. Considering the fact that the national highway comes under the purview of the proposed expressway, the bypass road has been proposed to ensure road safety in Chilakaluripet town.
The farmers who are going to lose their lands for the bypass road, are arguing that there is no need to lay the bypass road as the vehicular traffic in Chilakaluripet town is not enormous.
Bypass Road Vyatireka Porata Samithi convener Kolla Rajamohana Rao said the government should reconsider its decision on laying the bypass road as it would displace 425 farmers with small land holdings of less than five acres.
Narasaraopet Revenue Divisional Officer G Ravindar said objections to the land acquisition notification would be received from farmers. The State government would take a final decision on the bypass road proposal only after studying all the objections raised by the affected farmers, the RDO said.
