HYDERABAD: The state government is preparing to build a greenfield highway that will reduce travel time to just two hours between Hyderabad and Vijayawada, said R&B Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy.
He assured swift completion of long-pending infrastructure projects in LB Nagar and the surrounding areas. During a site inspection at Vanasthalipuram Junction, he reviewed proposals and designs for the proposed six-km elevated corridor from LB Nagar to Pedda Amberpet at a cost of Rs 650 crore aimed at easing traffic congestion.
Stating that he had secured Rs 541 crore for the LB Nagar-Malkapur road during his tenure as an MP, Venkat Reddy stated that now, as a minister, he will ensure pending works are completed without delay.
“The planned six-lane elevated corridor, including four completed vehicle underpasses, will connect LB Nagar to Hayathnagar and Pedda Amberpet through the Outer Ring Road (ORR),” he added.
The minister informed that the Rs 2,300 crore Gauravelli-Valigonda-Bhadrachalam Greenfield Highway has already entered the construction phase between Valigonda and Thorrur, while tenders are underway for the Thorrur-Bhadrachalam stretch.
Additionally, road construction from Andole Maisamma to Vijayawada, costing Rs 375 crore, is progressing rapidly, he said and noted that 17 accident-prone black spots have been identified and will be addressed with the highest priority to ensure safety and prevent casualties. He added that Telangana will soon adopt the HAM (Hybrid Annuity Model) approach for road development across the state.
Venkat Reddy announced that he, along with Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, will meet Union Minister Nitin Gadkari to seek swift approvals. He revealed that the responsibility for Metro Rail Phase-II permissions has been entrusted to him by the chief minister.
Emphasising the need for Central government support for both metro expansion and the proposed Regional Ring Railway, he said that they will soon meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other Union ministers, accompanied by local MPs, to push forward these development agendas.
Targeting BRS MLC Kavitha, he questioned her silence on the issue of BC reservations during her father’s ten-year rule and now raising the matter after losing power. He said the Congress government had passed a resolution in the Assembly supporting BC reservations and sent it to the Centre.
On the healthcare front, the minister announced that the super-specialty TIMS Hospital at Sanathnagar will be inaugurated in September. He said similar hospitals are being constructed in the city to provide corporate-level medical services.