Damaged roads to be mended with 550 crore

Vijayawada: Transport department principal secretary and APSRTC managing director (MD) M T Krishna Babu said on Wednesday that the state government will start 45-day drive to repair the damaged R&B roads in the state at a cost of Rs 550 crore. He said the tender process for the repair works will be completed by January 10. He said damaged stretches and potholes will be covered and patch works will be taken up across the state.

During a press conference here, Krishna Babu said administrative sanction was given for repairs and hoped the works would be completed by February/March. He said the state government is collecting Rs 1 cess on petrol and diesel and that will be used for the road repair works. Priority will be given for high traffic corridors and later to other roads. He said the state government cleared Rs 405 crore pending bills to the contractors and added that the contractors were ready to take up repair works. The works have already started in some places, he added.