Khammam, Telangana — The construction of the Khammam-Devarapalli National Highway is moving quickly, with the government aiming to complete the project by August 15. So far, over 80% of the work is done. Out of 124 bridges and underpasses, only seven are still under construction.
This new 165-kilometer highway, costing ₹2,214 crore, will stretch from Suryapet to Devarapalli. Once completed, it will reduce travel time between Hyderabad, Rajahmundry, and Visakhapatnam via Khammam district. The road from Suryapet to Ponnekal is already complete and open to traffic.
Most of the roadwork is finished, but a few bridges and underpasses, especially in Kalluru Mandal, are still being built. So far, 117 major structures are completed. However, construction is facing slight delays in two areas. One is near Kodumuru, where shifting high-tension power lines is causing issues. The other is near Khammam, where bridge designs are still being finalized.
The highway is divided into five construction packages. Three of these pass through the combined Khammam district. The road is designed as an access-controlled national highway, meaning no animals or unauthorized entry is allowed.
Here’s the current status of each package:
– Package 1: From Tallampadu to Somavaram, covering 33 km at a cost of ₹772 crore. About 30 km is already done. A railway overbridge (ROB) and a few bridges are still pending due to power line issues.
– Package 2: From Somavaram to Chintagudem, costing ₹637 crore. 26 km out of 29 km is complete. Three structures are still under construction.
– Package 3: From Chintagudem to Razorla, spread over 43 km and costing ₹804 crore. Around 37 km is finished. This section includes entry and exit points at Dhamsalapuram, Vandanam, and Sathupalli. Proposals for service roads have been sent to the Central government.
Recently, Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao visited the area to check the project’s progress. He traveled along the Greenfield Highway from Vemsur to Dhamsalapuram and reviewed work on the ground.
The minister instructed contractors and officials to make at least one side of the highway open to the public by July 15. He confirmed that all sections of the project are progressing well without any major issues.
However, he raised concerns about the lack of service roads, especially for farmers living near the highway. Rao said he had already discussed this with Union Minister Nitin Gadkari during his recent visit to the State.
He also pointed out that the Greenfield Highway has three exit points in Sathupalli constituency, which is rare in the country. Once the highway is complete, it will significantly improve transportation and reduce travel time for commuters.
