VIJAYAWADA: The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has approved an annual plan with an outlay of Rs 6,421 crore for the 2021-22 fiscal to expedite the NH (O) projects in Andhra Pradesh. For the first time, the State has received the highest sanction as an annual plan from the MoRTH for NH (O) projects.
The MoRTH has sanctioned Rs 267 crore for the State in 2019-20, which was later revised to Rs 1,830 crore after Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy met Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari and explained to him the need for expediting the ongoing NH (O) projects in the State by allocating more Central funds.
In 2020-21, the MoRTH approved an annual plan with an outlay of Rs 1,430 crore and further enhanced it to Rs 2,702 crore. “Even as the Centre bears the total cost of land acquisition, it still remains a challenge to execute the NH (O) projects in the State,” Principal Secretary (Transport) MT Krishna Babu said. The Centre has sanctioned Rs 6,241 crore for the financial year 2021-22 and this is the highest sanction from the MoRTH to AP so far.
The works proposed under this plan will be taken up by the National Highways wing of the Roads and Buildings Department of AP. Rs 590 crore will be spent on widening of Bathalapalli -Mudigubba road in Anantapur; another Rs 536 crore on upgradation from 2 lane to 2/4 lane between Mulakalacheruvu and Madanapalle.