Amaravati, August 23: The Andhra Pradesh government has initiated a project aimed at improving road connectivity to over 100 major pilgrimage sites across the state.
The Panchayat Raj Department has commenced work on a 205-kilometer road network, with an investment of ₹1.2 billion, to link these significant religious locations.
An official statement released on Sunday highlighted the lack of adequate roads leading to many rural temples throughout the state.
Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan noted that while the number of devotees visiting sites like Vadapalli is steadily increasing, the necessary road infrastructure has not kept pace with this growth.
During his visits, he encountered several temples and received feedback from the public regarding the poor condition of access roads. With a firm commitment to alleviate the difficulties faced by pilgrims due to inadequate road access, he launched this initiative through the Panchayat Raj Department.
The project prioritizes the construction of roads leading to schools, temples, hospitals, and agricultural fields, utilizing funds from schemes such as the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS), VB G Ramji, and SASKEI.
In celebration of the 100th birth anniversary of Sri Sathya Sai Baba, ₹300 million has been allocated for the construction of roads connecting to Puttaparthi.
According to the statement, Pawan Kalyan is actively guiding the ‘Gudi Bata’ (road to temple) projects to ensure their swift completion. The government is placing special emphasis on these initiatives.
Out of the total ₹1.2 billion allocated for the road projects, 26 have been completed and are ready for inauguration. Work on 40% of the remaining roads is already 50% complete.
Completed projects include roads leading to the famous Sri Lakshmi Narasimha temples in Antervedi and Ahobilam, the Sri Gattu Venkataramana Swamy temple in the Madanapalle constituency, and access roads to remote temples like Devaraya Nallagangamma and Pudiyagiri Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple in Marripudi.
Pawan Kalyan has instructed officials to ensure high-quality standards for the roads leading to these pilgrimage sites. He emphasized that the roads constructed by the Panchayat Raj Department should effectively serve the needs of devotees for the long term.
The Deputy Chief Minister also mentioned that he would personally inspect the quality of the roads before they are opened to pilgrims once the construction is complete.
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