The much-awaited opening of Durga Temple flyover in Vijayawada, the long-cherished dream of the people of the city, at last materialised on Friday.
The flyover, which has been pending for the last six years, was opened by Union minister for surface transport Nitin Gadkari and Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy through virtual mode.
Union ministers G Kishan Reddy and V K Singh, state minister Shankar Narayana, MPs Kesineni Nani and Kanakamedala and others also took part in the function through video conference mode.
The flyover, for which the TDP had fought for long during the Congress regime, could not be completed even during the Chandrababu Naidu regime between 2014 and 2019, though Naidu promised to get it completed before 2016 Krishna Pushkarams.
Tthe works went on at a snail’s pace. The contractor abandoned the works midway stating non-payment of dues and cost escalation, as the former chief minister had failed to pursue the same with the Centre.
It was only after the Jagan Mohan Reddy government took over in 2019 that the works resumed in full swing and the flyover was completed almost five months ago. However, it could not be opened due to Covid-19 pandemic and Gadkari himself had tested positive for the virus.
The six-lane flyover with a length of 2.6 km was completed at a cost of Rs 502 crore. “This will bring down the traffic problems at Prakasam barrage and Kanaka Durga temple road to a large extent,” the minister said.
YSRC general secretary V Vijay Sai Reddy, while expressing happiness at the completion of the Durga Temple flyover, took pot shots at the TDP chief as well.
“Even for those who had made tall claims that the flyover would be completed much before the Krishna Pushkarams in 2016 can feel happy now,” he tweeted.