Amaravati, Apr 8 (TNT): Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, on Wednesday stressed the need for robust road maintenance, noting that of the total 45,433 km of roads in the state, around 10,238 km require annual maintenance.
Reviewing roads and highways at the Secretariat, Naidu directed officials to strengthen construction and maintenance of national and state highways to boost economic activity and ensure seamless connectivity to ports across the state and the rest of the country.
He instructed officials to repair potholes immediately and study national and international best practices in road maintenance.
Highlighting the importance of geography-specific road construction, Naidu suggested adopting hybrid models such as BT and white-topping roads in black cotton soil regions, particularly in the Godavari districts, and exploring innovative materials for canal-side roads in collaboration with universities.
Keeping in view the upcoming ‘Godavari Pushkarams’, the Chief Minister directed that road repairs be taken up in Godavari, Krishna and Guntur districts.
He said 531 km of roads in the Godavari region would be developed at a cost of Rs 400 crore using SASCI funds and instructed officials to seek special assistance from the Central Government for Pushkarams on the lines of the ‘Kumbh Mela’.
Emphasising the strategic importance of ports, the Chief Minister said all national highways should be linked to major ports, including Mulapeta, Visakhapatnam, Gangavaram, Kakinada, Machilipatnam, Ramayapatnam and Krishnapatnam.
He stressed the need for developing East-West corridors to reduce logistics costs, noting that nearly 73 per cent of cargo is transported by road.
The Chief Minister said improved connectivity would support Andhra Pradesh’s emergence as a hub for industrial and horticultural production and underlined the need for ring roads around major cities.
He said around 1,335 km of national highways are expected to be completed within two years, while projects worth Rs 24,502 crore are targeted for completion this year.
Ministers BC Janardhan Reddy, Mandipalli Ramprasad Reddy, Transport Department Special Chief Secretary Krishna Babu, APSRTC Managing Director Bala Subrahmanyam and officials of the National Highways Authority** attended the meeting.
TNT KM
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