On a visit to Vishakhapatnam earlier this week Shri Mansukh Mandaviya, Minister of State for Road Transport & Highways, Shipping and Chemical & Fertilizers reviewed the National Highways projects in the state of Andhra Pradesh, the dredging activities being undertaken by the Dredging Corporation of India (DCI) and the work being done by Vishakhapatnam Port Trust (VPT) . Shri Mandavia visited the dredging site of Dredging Corporation of India Limited (DCIL), along the beach road in Vishakhapatnam. He inspected the beach nourishment activity carried out by DCI Dredge-17, near the Kurusura Subamrine Museum and also participated in the cleanliness drive of the beach area as part of the “SWACHHTA PAKHWADA” initiative being celebrated throughout the country . He also inspected the public toilet facility constructed by DCI near RK Beach as part of SWACHH BHARAT Mission. During the inspection the Minister interacted with top officials of DCI and VPT . He was informed that DCI was undertaking various diversified activities in the fields of dredging, land reclamation and beach nourishment, both at Indian ports and internationally, for example at Mongla Port, Bangladesh.
Talking about the National Highways projects Shri Mandaviya said that the long pending demand for Vizianagaram bypass has been fulfilled. The work of Rs. 4 laning of Vizainagaram bypass with concrete road for Rs.430 Cr has been sanctioned. He said that during the current financial year, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has sanctioned 14 major projects costing Rs. 4500 Crore. on National Highways under corridor approach and NHDP 4 scheme for Andhra Pradesh. Visakhapatnam area grid separator at Convent Junction on Visakhapatnam Old Road is being developed at a cost of Rs.60 Crore. Out of this, Rs.30 Crore will be funded under Sagarmala programme, Rs.15 Crore by NHAI and Rs.15 Crore by Vishakhapatnam Port Trust. Another project is the Six laning of Anakapalli- Andapuram access controlled highways as part of NH16, providing connectivity of 12 Km to Visakhapatnam Port with service road on both sides. This will be dedicated corridor to Port.
Visakhapatnam Ranasthalam, NH 16 is to be 6 laned in a length of 47 Km at a cost of Rs.1000 Cr. Bids for the project are already done and the construction will start in the next 4 to 5 months. For the Outer Ring Road of186 KM around Amaravathi, Rs 20000 Crore has been sanctioned. Land acquisition is to be done by State Government. Nandigama and Kanchicharla bypasses which were pending since 2007 have been sanctioned by MoRTH. The Amaravathi Anadapur Expressway with connectivity to Kadapah and Kurnool in a lenght of nearly 690 Km at a cost of nearly 28000 Crore would be taken up by NHAI. Land acquisition is to be done by State Government.Avenue plantations along the National Highways are to be taken up with the partnership of local industrialists, farmers and NGOs. The Minister also witnessed the fully mechanized coal unloading at the outer harbourwhich is visited the outer harbour. He was briefed about the various activities of VPT . He also reviewed the petroleum, chemicals and petrochemical investment region.