Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari here on Thursday laid the foundation stone for eight National Highway projects to be developed at a cost of Rs 3,000 crore in Andhra Pradesh.

The projects are intended to provide greenfield road connectivity to Kakinada Special Economic Zone, SEZ Port, fishing harbour and anchorage port and smoothen export of rice, seafood, oil, iron ore, bio-fuel, and granite through Kakinada Port.

The Union Minister said on the occasion that five new flyovers would be built at Kaikaram, Morampudi, Undarajavaram, Tetali and Jonnada for hassle-free and safe traffic movement to Namavaram, Satellite City, Mandapeta, Ramchandrapuram, Kakinada, Undarajavaram, Nidadavolu, Tanuku Town, and Kaikaram. Special safety features would be built in for rectification of blackspots on the highways, he added.

Gadkari said the other three projects that include four-laning of Vakalapudi-Uppada-Annavaram, Samarlakota-Achampeta Junction and construction of two-lane with paved shoulders from Rampachodavaram to Koyyuru would provide road connectivity to religious locations such as Samarlakota, Annavaram, Bikkavolu, Ryali and Pithapuram.

Besides, road connectivity to tribal and tourist areas like Araku Valley, Lambasinghi and Borra Caves would be provided.

The projects, once developed, would provide safe, better and fast intra- State connectivity through Kakinada and Alluri Sitharama Raju districts, he added.

The Union government, Gadkari said, was committed to ensure prosperity in Andhra Pradesh through world-class infrastructure.

AP Roads and Buildings Minister D Raja, MPs V Geeta, M Bharat, P S C Bose, Roads and Buildings Principal Secretary M T Krishna Babu and others attended.

Later, the Union Minister visited the famous Kadiyam nurseries and interacted with the farmers.