Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu addressing at Cabinet meeting in Amaravati on Thursday.
| Photo Credit: The Hindu
In a significant push to modernise Andhra Pradesh’s road infrastructure, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has announced the construction of 2,000 kilometers of new roads at a cost of ₹1,000 crore and the repair of damaged roads worth ₹500 crore. The Chief Minister directed officials to expedite cost estimations and initiate the tendering process immediately.
Presiding over a review meeting with the Roads & Buildings (R&B) Department at the State Secretariat on Thursday, Mr. Naidu emphasised that road repairs must be carried out continuously, even during the monsoon season, to ensure early completion. He expressed concern over the poor state of roads, blaming years of neglect under the previous administration.
The Chief Minister has set a 15-day deadline for officials to submit a comprehensive report detailing roads requiring repair, new road proposals, and maintenance needs. He stressed the need for adopting cutting-edge technologies in road construction to reduce costs and enhance quality.
Officials briefed the Chief Minister that 20,000 km of roads have already been repaired to make them pothole-free.
“Our roads must meet the quality standards of national highways,” the Chief Minister asserted, adding that construction of all roads should commence by November, immediately after the monsoon ends.
Details regarding contractors responsible for construction and maintenance must be made publicly available online. Additionally, CCTV cameras are to be installed every 50 km along major roads, and all road maintenance work will be assigned to contractors.
Mr. Naidu also called for preventive measures to avoid monsoon-related damages.
Public-Private Partnership to play a key role
Officials informed Mr. Naidu that the state currently has 12,653 km of state highways. Of this, 260 roads stretching over 10,200 km are suitable for development under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.
Under Phase 1A, 18 high-density roads totaling 1,332 km have been proposed. Phase 1B includes 67 roads exceeding 40 km each, collectively spanning 3,854 km. Another 175 roads, each between 20 and 40 km in length, have been proposed under Phase 2, covering a total of 5,039 km. Two strategic roads—Yelamanchili to Gajuwaka and Gajulamandyam to Sri City (SEZ), totaling 115 km—have also been identified for PPP development.
The Chief Minister directed officials to conduct feasibility studies and submit a final report on these proposals.
Published – July 25, 2025 03:46 pm IST
