ONGOLE: The Union government has approved the development of Pedda Dornala-Hanuman Kunta Junction into a double lane road with Rs 244 crore under the PM Gati Shakti scheme. Union minister for Transport Nitin Gadkari had recently announced the decision on Twitter.
Launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2021, the PM Gati Shakti Scheme is a national level master plan for multi-modal connectivity. It aims at providing integrated and seamless connectivity for the movement of people, goods and services from one mode of transport to another.
With the approval of the project, the single lane road will be widened and developed into a two-lane highway, facilitating a smooth and faster passage for people to reach their destinations.
The government has initiated the process of acquiring land to lay a double lane bypass road outside of Dornala village. The project will help provide better transport facility to Srisailam, one of the twelve Jyotirlingas of Shiva and Pancharama Kshetras, which witnesses heavy influx of devotees on a daily basis.
Additionally, the government will also construct culverts, bridges on Veligonda-Teegaleru channel as well as on Teegaleru stream, bridge on the tank channel near Chinna Gudipadu village, bridges over Raalla Vaagu and on the local stream near Rajampalli.
Besides, the government has decided to construct the new highway with no sharp curves in a bid to avoid road accidents.
“We have been eagerly waiting for the expansion of the single lane road for a long time. The road, which passes through the middle of Dornala, causes severe inconvenience to vehicular traffic and commuters enroute to Srisailam. Finally, our wait has ended and we are happy with the newly-approved double lane highway project,” M Srinivasa Rao, a teacher from Dornala mandal, expressed.