VISAKHAPATNAM: Post lockdown, the Visakhapatnam Metro Regional Development Authority (VMRDA) has expedited works of projects worth Rs 385 crore, for which Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy laid the foundation last December.
Speaking to TNIE on Tuesday, VMRDA Commissioner M Koteswara Rao said the Gopalapatnam arm of the NAD flyover will be thrown open to traffic on August 15.
“Traffic from the airport to Gopalapatnam and from there to NSTL traffic will be allowed. The NAD flyover worth Rs 113.60 crore will be ready in all aspects by the year-end and traffic from airport, Gopalapatnam, the city and 104 Area will move smoothly,” he observed.
Four arms of the flyover -- from the airport to NSTL and vice-versa, and Gopalaptnam to 104 Area and vice-versa -- will culminate at the circle where the work on two pillars is currently going on.
“As soon as the work on the two central pillars is ready by the month-end, the pre-fabricated structure will be placed. Now, the top layer of the bridge is nearing completion,” he observed, adding that remaining 40 per cent of works on NAD flyover were going on at a brisk pace.
As part of the master plan, projects worth Rs 64.77 crore are taken up to widen 60-feet roads to 100-feet ones: the 1.6-km stretch from NH-16 to Beach Road via Visakha valley is being developed at a cost of Rs 5.93 crore; the 1.5-km stretch from Peda Rushikonda Junction to Beach Road via IT SEZ at Rs 7.5 crore; the roads connecting NH-16 and Chukkavanipalem, and Chowdapalli Junction and Atchyutapuram at Rs 9 crore and Rs 27.13 crore, respectively.
Stating that the infrastructure projects were taken up keeping in view the future needs of the city, Koteswara Rao said the Atchyutapuram Junction was being developed at a cost of Rs 20 crore.
“The funds have been transferred to the district administration for payment of compensation towards land acquisition. Since traffic from SEZ, Rajamahendravaram, Anakapalle, Visakhapatnam and SEZ merges at Atchutyapuram, the junction will be developed to ensure smooth flow of the traffic,” the VMRDA chief said.