Nitin Gadkari Inaugurates ₹5,233 Cr National Highway Projects in Andhra Pradesh

Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways Nitin Gadkari inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for a comprehensive package of 29 National Highway projects in Andhra Pradesh, spanning 272 km with a total investment exceeding ₹5,233 crore, at a high‑profile ceremony in Mangalagiri on 2–3 August 2025. Present at the event were Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, Union Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, MoS Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani, along with senior state officials, MPs, and MLAs.

Among the infrastructure highlights, two major highways were formally dedicated to the nation: the 56 km stretch of NH‑71 connecting Madanapalle–Pileru, developed into a modern four‑lane corridor at a cost of ₹1,994 crore. This corridor includes nine flyovers, a rail overbridge, 19 major road bridges, five vehicular underpasses, and ten local underpasses, significantly enhancing safety and traffic flow through the region. The second project is the 31 km upgrade of NH‑340C between Kurnool and Mandlem, converted into a four‑lane highway with paved shoulders at a cost of ₹858 crore, incorporating one flyover, four viaducts, three local underpasses, and a minor underpass.

In his address, Gadkari emphasized that these projects align with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s infrastructure vision, targeting the elimination of accident‑prone “black spots” and railway level crossings, reduction of logistics costs, enhancement of last‑mile connectivity especially in rural and tribal areas, and alleviation of congestion in urban centers such as Tirupati, Nellore, and Rayachoty. According to Gadkari, the improved road infrastructure has already brought India’s logistics cost down from 16 percent to 10 percent, with a projection to reach 9 percent by December 2025, thereby positioning India to double its exports and create substantial employment opportunities. He also noted the expansion of National Highway length under NHAI—from about 4,000 km in 2014 to roughly 8,700 km by 2025, marking over 120 percent growth.

Simultaneously, Gadkari laid foundation stones for 27 additional projects across the state, aimed at improving connectivity to major pilgrimage and tourist destinations like Tirupati, Srisailam, Kadiri, Horsley Hills, and Vodarevu Beach, and ensuring seamless links with economic hubs including Sri City, Krishnapatnam Port, and Tirupati Airport. Media reports highlighted that during the same programme, Gadkari expressed confidence that Andhra Pradesh’s road connectivity standards would surpass those of the United States within two years, crediting the projects and future planning for that achievement. He also gave approval or in‑principle sanction for several future projects totaling nearly ₹1 lakh crore, covering corridors such as Hyderabad–Vijayawada (six lanes, ₹6,700 cr), Vijayawada–Machilipatnam (six lanes, ₹2,600 cr), Vinukonda–Guntur (four lanes, ₹2,605 cr), Guntur–Nizampatnam (four lanes, ₹2,000 cr), BuggaKaipa–Giddalur (four lanes, ₹4,200 cr), among others.

This infrastructure push is part of a broader national strategy under initiatives like Bharatmala Pariyojana and Gati Shakti, aimed at building high-speed road corridors across India to drive industrial growth, reduce travel times, and foster economic opportunities. Gadkari also underscored plans to transition to electric mobility and biofuels, linking upgraded highways, seaports, and inland waterways as cost-effective logistics channels

Overall, the event marks not merely the inauguration and ground‑breaking of highway works but reflects a strategic commitment to elevate Andhra Pradesh as a national logistics and economic hub. With improved rural‑urban linkages, accident mitigation, faster transit, export potential expansion, and employment generation at the core, the ₹5,233 crore highway initiative under Gadkari’s stewardship demonstrates transformative infrastructure development in the making.

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