Telangana CM KCR urges Nitin Gadkari to notify 4 state roads as national highways

New Delhi: Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao Monday (September 6) met Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari and demanded an early nod for pending road proposals under the Central Road and Infrastructure Fund, and declaring four state roads as national highways.

In an hour-long meeting, Rao -- who is on a week-long visit to the national capital -- also demanded Gadkari to sanction the four-laning of Hyderabad-Kalwakurthy section of NH-765 to ease the traffic congestion, and the development of a 340-km long Expressway around Hyderabad.

He also requested the Centre to declare four state roads -- Choutuppal-Amangal-Shadnagar-Kandi; Karimnagar-Sircilla-Kamareddy-Yellareddy-Pitlam; Kothakota-Gudur upto Mantralayam; and Zaheerabad-Bidar-Deglur -- as national highways.

Discussing the development of state roads under the Central Road and Infrastructure Fund (CRIF), the CM said the state government has submitted proposals with an outlay of Rs 744 crore for 2021.

The proposals were finalised but the Central government is allocating only around Rs 250 crore per year to the state government under the CRIF, he said. "It is requested to kindly sanction the pending CRIF proposals and increase the allocation of funds under CRIF to complete the approved road projects under CRIF within two financial years -- 2021-22 and 2022-23," Rao said in a representation made to Gadkari.

Requesting him to sanction the four-laning of Hyderabad-Kalwakurthy section of NH-765. The NH-765 connects Hyderabad with the famous Jyothirlinga at Srisailam. According to toll records, the present traffic up to Kalwakurthy on NH 765 is about 14,000 PCUs (passenger car units), and will increase manifold once Kalwakurthy-Karivena section of NH-167 K is developed, he said.

"Keeping in view the present traffic and future requirements, it is essential to develop the existing two lane paved shoulder highway from Hyderabad to Kalwakurthy (NH-765) to four lane standards," he added.

Flagging concerns about the six-laning of Hyderabad-Vijayawada section of NH-65, the CM said this project is to be completed by April 2024 as per the agreement with the concessionaire GMR Hyd-Vij Expressway Ltd.

"However, it is learnt that the concessionaire has raised a dispute and not showing any inclination to take up the six-laning. It is requested to kindly look into the matter and help in taking up the six-laning of this very important corridor...," he said in the representation.

He also informed the traffic on this highway is more than 40,000 passenger car units (PCUs).

(With agency inputs)