MP reviews NH-65 expansion

Vijayawada: MP Kesineni Sivnath alias Chinni chaired a key review meeting with National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) officials to deliberate on the proposed six-laning of the Vijayawada–Hyderabad NH-65 corridor and construction of a new bypass at the RWS Department main office in Vijayawada on Thursday. The meeting was attended by Government Whip and Nandigama MLA Tangirala Sowmya, Mylavaram MLA Vasantha Krishna Prasad, Transport and R&B Department Special Chief Secretary MT Krishna Babu, and senior NHAI officials.

MP Sivanath emphasised the urgent need to resolve persistent traffic bottlenecks between Nandigama and Vijayawada.

He informed that a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the bypass expansion has been prepared but acknowledged that around 500 households could face displacement, and several farmers would be affected. He stressed that mitigation measures suggested by public representatives have been communicated to NHAI and Special Chief Secretary Krishna Babu.

The MP also called for a thorough reassessment of the ‘Y-Junction’ near Paritala, with officials agreeing to review and redesign the segment. He assured that the matter would be taken up with Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu to ensure timely project commencement with minimal inconvenience to locals.

Mylavaram MLA Vasantha Krishna Prasad addressed ongoing concerns regarding the highway expansion, emphasising that a bypass has become a necessary alternative to safeguard residential properties and minimise displacement. The MLA highlighted that farmers from Kachavaram, Chilukuru, Mulapadu, and Jupudi villages are set to lose land as a result of the proposed road expansion.

Although initial requests were made to widen the existing highway rather than build a new bypass, Vasantha Krishna Prasad clarified that such widening would lead to the demolition of 490 residential houses within the Mylavaram constituency alone. “To prevent large-scale destruction of homes, we have been compelled to accept the bypass proposal under unavoidable circumstances,” the MLA explained.

Nandigama MLA Tangirala Sowmya stated that a slight diversion near Paritala had been requested in the bypass alignment. She stressed the importance of protecting farmers who have already surrendered land for previous projects. “We have asked the authorities to design the new bypass in a manner that does not further burden farmers who have already lost land in the past,” Sowmya added.