State will be made pothole-free by month-end: Minister

 Banaganapalle (Nandyal district): Minister for Roads and Buildings, Investments and Infrastructure B C Janardhan Reddy performed Bhumi Puja ceremony for the construction of a bypass road in Banaganapalle on Monday.

Speaking on the occasion, Janardhan Reddy assured the completion of the ring road within 18 months. He said the R and B department was rendered ineffective in the last five years during the YSRCP rule. Efforts are underway to restore its glory by December 2025, the Minister said.

He said under the guidance of Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu, Rs 861 crore has been allocated for pothole-free roads. He said repair works should be completed by the end of January. Road repair works which were delayed in seven districts due to unseasonal rains will be expedited.

Nearly 50 per cent of therepair works have already been completed and 3,000 km of roads will soon be developed under the PPP model. The Minister has also announced that the long-cherished dream of the people of Banaganapalle, a ring road will be realised within 18 months. Keeping the election promise, the Minister laid the foundation stone for the Rs 50 crore Banaganapalle Ring Road project near Panyam Road in Banaganapalle town.

He stated that over 15 km of the ring road will be constructed, including 4.5 km under the National Highway Authority’s jurisdiction and 11 km under the R and B department. Most of the land acquisition has been completed with Rs 5 crore clearance pending from the finance department for the remaining acquisition.

The Minister assured that with the blessings of the Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and the cooperation of R and B department officials, the ring road project will not only benefit Banaganapalle but also neighboring areas.

Minister Janardhan Reddy criticised the previous YSRCP government for rendering the R and B department ineffective. He emphasised that the current government has undertaken a massive programme to make State roads pothole-free allocating Rs 861 crore for repairs. Over 50 per cent of the pothole-filling works have been completed. He added that the delayed works in seven districts, caused by unseasonal rains, are now being expedited. The State will be made pothole-free by the end of January, following Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu’s instructions.

The Minister also announced plans to construct nearly 3,000 km of roads under the PPP model, with an agency already appointed for cost estimation. New national highway construction projects are progressing rapidly as well.

Senior R and B official ENC Nayeemullah and others participated.