CM Revanth Reddy meets Nitin Gadkari; Stage set to step up pace of RRR

Decks have been cleared for declaring the 182-km southern stretch of the Regional Ring Road (RRR) (Choutuppal-Amangal-Shadnagar-Sangareddy) as a national highway. An assurance to this effect was given by Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari to Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy in Delhi on Tuesday.

The Chief Minister, accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and Roads and Buildings Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, called on Gadkari at his residence. He presented a list of State roads in need of being upgraded as national highways in Telangana. He also wanted the southern part of the regional ring road to be declared a national highway.

Responding positively, Gadkari assured the Chief Minister that the Centre would bear the cost of the relocation of the utilities such as power lines and buildings. The Centre had already given its approval for declaring the northern part of the regional ring road (Choutuppal-Bhongir -Toopran -Sangareddy-Kandi) as a national highway. Initially the NHAI insisted that the State should bear the cost of moving the utilities.

The Union Minister was of the opinion that in case of State government bearing the cost of relocation of utilities, it would be entitled for half of the toll revenue. The Union Minister asked the Chief Minister to speed



up the land acquisition process for the Regional Ring Road. The Chief Minister also made a representation to Gadkari for widening the Hyderabad- Vijayawada highway into a six-lane road and Hyderabad– Kalwakurthy highway into a four lane road.

The Union Minister, who agreed in principal for taking up expansion of the two major highways, suggested to the Chief Minister to send proposals for grant of the Construction and Infrastructure Fund (CIF). The Chief Minister also submitted a list of 14 State roads to be upgraded into national highways.

These included Marikal-Narayanapet-Ramasamudra (63 km), Peddapally-Kataram (66 km), Pullur-Alampur-Jataprolu-Pentlavelli-Kollapur-Lingal-Acchampeta-Dindi-Devarakonda-Mallepalli-Nalgonda (225 km), Wanaparthi-Kottakota-Gadwala-Mantralayam (110 km), Manneguda-Vikarabad-Tandur-Zaheerabad-Bidar (134 km), Karimnagar-Siricilla-Kamareddy-Ellareddy-Pitlam (165 km), Erravelli Cross Road-Gadwala-Raichur (67km), Jagitial-Peddapalli-Kalva Srirampur-Kishtampet-Kalvapalli-Moranchapalli-Ramappa Temple-Jangalapalli (164 km), Sarapaka-Etoorunagaram (93 km), Duddeda-Komuravelli-Yadagirigutta-Rayagiri Crossroad (63 km), Jaggayyapeta-Wyra-Kothagudem (100 km), Siricilla-Vemulawada-Korutla (65 km), Bhutpur-Nagarkurnool-Mannanur-Maddimadu (Telangana)-Gangalkunta-Sirigiripadu (166 km), and Karimnagar-Rayapatnam (60 km).