Telangana Chief Minister K.Chandrashekar Rao on Monday (today) met union minister of road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari in Delhi.

He submitted five representations to Gadkari seeking new highway projects and funds to Telangana.

Surprisingly, two of KCR’s representations pertain to seeking better road connectivity with neighbouring Andhra Pradesh which include six-laning of Hyderabad-Vijayawada national highway (NH-65) and four-laning of Kalwakurthy-Nadyal highway.

On Hyderabad-Vijayawada highway, Rao said, “This was four-laned in 2012 under BOT (toll). As per the agreement with the concessionaire, GMR Hyderabad-Vijayawada Expressways Ltd, the six-laning of this high traffic corridor is to be completed by April 2024. As per the State PWD reports, the present traffic on this highway is more than 40,000 PCUs (passenger car units). However, it is learnt that the concessionaire has raised a dispute and not showing any inclination to take up six-laning. It is requested to look into the above matter and help in taking up six-laning of this very important corridor, which is a vital link between the capitals of two Telugu states.”

KCR thanked Gadkari for notifying the new national highway from Kalwakurthy in Telangana to Nadyanl in AP, via Kolhapur, Somasila and Karivena as NH-167K, Rao said with a new bridge across river Krishna at Somalia will reduce the distance between Hyderabad and Tirupati, Chennai etc by about 80-kms.

“The newly declared 167K takes off at km 67/0 of NH 765 near Kalwakurthy. The NH-765 connects Hyderabad with famous Jyothirlinga at Srisailam. The present traffic up to Kalwakurthy on NH-765 is about 14,000 PCUs and the traffic will further increase manifold once
Kalwakurty-Karivena section of NH-167K is developed. Keeping this in view, it is essential to develop the existing two-lane paved shoulder
highway from Hyderabad (ORR) to Kalwakuthy (NH-765) to four-lane standards. It is requested to approve the same at the earliest,” the CM urged.