Works of Garuda Varadhi at brisk pace

Tirupati: The works on the 6-km long elevated expressway aimed to ease traffic congestion in the pilgrim city is going on briskly. Interestingly, the works kickstarted without any fanfare even as the pilgrim city started witnessing a bevy of election activities immediately after Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu laid the stone for the series of development initiatives under 'smart city project' including the expressway at a glittering function in the city on March 5 just before the notification for the general election.

The elevated expressway christened as 'Garuda Varadhi' which originates near Agriculture Market Yard on the city outskirts near Poothalapattu-Naidupeta national highway wind up at Nandi Circle near Kapilatheertham, linking the Alipiri road to Tirumala so that the pilgrim vehicles coming from outside reach directly Alipiri, bypassing the entire city, avoiding traffic to go to Tirumala. This will also be a boon to the residents of pilgrim city as it will avoid the vehicles coming from outside moving in the city to reach Tirumala.

The works for construction of pillars for the expressway is in full swing on the 6-km stretch indicating that the Municipal Corporation is determined to complete the works as per schedule i.e. two years. A senior official connected with the supervision of the expressway said that Garuda Varadhi is unique in the sense that it has many advanced engineering facilities like 'clover leaf underpass' and also 'two-level corridor' and a single arm approach road at important junctions in the city and added that maximum care was taken to carry on the works with minimum inconvenience to the public.

'Clover leaf underpass' which will come up near RTC Bus stand junction is to facilitates the RTC buses coming and going from the Central Bus station move on smoothly, besides the vehicles from the city while the two-level corridor at Leelamahal Junction on Tirumala bypass road is to link Karakambadi road with express way and provide a passage for the vehicles from Nandi Circle to join Karakambadi road, he explained.

Unlike the express highways or corridors in other cities, Garuda Varadhi will have landscape reflecting the rich cultural, historic and spiritual heritage of the famed pilgrim city apart from other facilities like lighting, signals, arts café, soft café and CCTVs for surveillance and monitoring.

The total cost of the project is Rs 624 crore including the 'Garuda Varadhi' Rs 400 crore and also development of select roads to a total length of 21-km in the city which will be also taken up soon at a cost of Rs 224 crore.

At the behest of Naidu, TTD was involved in Garuda Varadhi expressway project to ensure smooth flow of funds for time bound completion of the project, keeping in view that elevated corridor is much useful for pilgrims. Accordingly, TTD will bear 65 per cent of project cost which is Rs 400 crore while the remaining Municipal Corporation of Tirupati (MCT), the official said exuding confidence that the Varadhi works will be over in two years as per schedule.