Hyderabad, Jul 9 (IANS): Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Tuesday urged the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to immediately start works for the expansion of the Hyderabad-Vijayawada National Highway.

Revanth Reddy told NHAI officials, who called on him here, that expansion of the Hyderabad-Vijayawada national highway should be taken up at the earliest. He suggested that the officials coordinate with the Andhra Pradesh government to take the works forward.

The Chief Minister also brought to the notice of the officials the efforts of the Andhra Pradesh government for a greenfield highway between Hyderabad and Vijayawada.

He also noted that since Telangana lacks a seaport, it proposed to build a dry port and proposed a high-speed expressway to connect the dry port to Bandar Port in Andhra Pradesh.

The Chief Minister also urged NHAI officials to cooperate in the prestigious Regional Ring Road (RRR) project being taken up by the Telangana government. He informed them that he recently requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take up RRR under the Bharat Mala programme of the Centre. He also told NHAI officials that 12 radial roads would be built between the Outer Ring Road and the Regional Ring Road. A few clusters and satellite townships will be developed between these roads.

He asked the NHAI officials to immediately start works on the Hyderabad-Manneguda highway. He wanted officials to hold talks with the contracting firm and resolve the problem.

Revanth Reddy also wanted the NHAI to take up the Hyderabad-Kalwakurthy National Highway. This will be a strategic highway which will reduce the distance to Tirupati by 70 km. This will also facilitate travel to Tirupati from Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Hyderabad.

He assured full support from the state government for the development of national highways. Minister for Roads and Buildings Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, NHAI Projects member Anil Chowdary, Special Secretary, R&B, Dasari Harichandana, CM’s Secretary Shahnawaz Qasim and others participated in the meeting.

The NHAI officials briefed the Chief Minister about the land acquisition and other problems in the development of national highways. Revanth Reddy assured the NHAI officials that a high-level meeting would be held in the state Secretariat on Wednesday to sort out the issues. The meeting will be attended by Collectors and Forest Department officials of those districts where national highways are being developed. The CM suggested that all issues be discussed and resolved during the meeting. He asked Qasim to present to him weekly reports on the progress of the works on highways.