KKR For Better AP Roads

The N Kiran Kumar Reddy government has decided to take up repairing of the roads damaged due to the recent floods in 7 districts of Andhra Pradesh.

The Chief Minister on Tuesday reviewed the functioning of the roads and buildings department with the Minister For Roads And Building, Dharmana Prasada Rao and other officers concerned, at the state Secretariat on Tuesday. It was decided that the roads in the state must be improved, and that additional funds must be sought from the centre and the NABARD, as there was a funds crunch as a result of certain changes occurring over a period of 10 years.

The upkeep and usage was disproportional, said Dharmana Prasada Rao while briefing the media persons. "The road-users figure has increased 4-fold and the road maintenance did not receive adequate attention," he said.

This, he said, was mainly because of the lack of funds over the period of a decade.

"In view of the paucity of funds that affected the maintenance of the roads, the CM will try better allocation to this sector in the coming budget," said the minister.

It is believed that the Chief Minister has decided to seek central assistance, and that the state government will ask the planning commission to earmark a major share to Andhra Pradesh for roads.

"The state has decided to take the centre's permission to make 6571 km length of roads in Andhra Pradesh into national highways so that the centre's aid could be sought, apart from increasing the roads' width to improve traffic conditions. Similarly, there was a move to transfer a length of 2000 km of panchayat roads to the roads and buildings department for better upkeep," the minister said.

He added that a length of 2000 km roads is under PMSY (Prime Minister's Sadak Yojana), and that the state government is preparing to persuade the centre for allotment of funds.

Courtesy: INN