Municipal Corporation of Tirupati gears up for opening a part of Srinivasa Sethu flyover

Tirupati: The Municipal Corporation of Tirupati (MCT) is readying for opening a part of `Srinivasa Sethu' (Garuda Varadhi) flyover soon to ease the traffic congestion in the main town from RTC bus stand to Alipiri police station on Tirumala bypass road. With delay in the completion of the works of flyover meandering through Tirumala bypass road, ripping the road into two, adding more to the traffic congestion in the crowded areas including RTC bus stand, Korlagunta, Leelamahal area etc. through which the road passing to Tirumala.

The work on the flyover began in 2019 and was scheduled to be completed in 2021. But the work is dragging on mainly due to financial constraints while other factors like change of government and pandemic adding more to the delay causing much inconvenience to people as the elevated expressway on Tirumala bypass road cutting the road into two affecting free flow of traffic.

Against this backdrop, the Corporation is planning to open part of the flyover where work was completed to a length of 2 kms from RTC bus stand to Alipiri police station. A corporation official on condition of anonymity said instead of waiting for the completion of total project, the authorities keeping in view the difficulties the people are facing, felt it better to open part of the flyover where work was completed. Sources said that due to the delay in TTD paying its share of contribution for the construction of flyover, the completion of the project was delayed.

As per the agreement between TTD and the Tirupati Smart City Corporation Limited (TSCCL), a special purpose vehicle floated by the Municipal Corporation for executing the works including the flyover taken up and Smart City project funded by the Centre for the development of pilgrim city, TTD has to bear 67 per cent of the total cost while the remaining 33 per cent by TSCCL. Later, TSCCL downsized the flyover total cost from Rs 684 crore to Rs 533 crore by cutting short the connecting roads including Karakambadi road, Renigunta road and Tiruchanur road, in which TTD share of contribution was reduced to Rs 357 crore against which TTD paid Rs 75 crore so far in three installments. As per the original plan TTD was to provide Rs 458.11 crore. Interestingly, the TSCCL with the Centre funding has provided its entire share Rs 228 as per the original plan which was in excess of the revised plan share of Rs 175.89 crore, according to Corporation sources.

It is pertinent to note that the TTD for one reason or other delaying to pay its remaining share amount which is about Rs 280 crore even after the representation of City MLA B Karunakar Reddy to Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy and also to TTD delaying the execution of the much needed flyover aimed to ease traffic congestion in the city by allowing the pilgrims vehicle coming from outside proceed to Tirumala avoiding the city, through the elevated expressway.