NH-65 Expansion Gets Green Signal..

The proposed expansion of National Highway 65 (NH-65) is expected to improve road connectivity between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. According to the report, the Public-Private Partnership Appraisal Committee has approved the project, which aims to upgrade approximately 285 kilometres of road from the Andole Maisamma Temple area near Hyderabad through Vijayawada to Machilipatnam. The estimated project cost is ₹12,073.99 crore. Telangana Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy reportedly discussed the project’s importance with Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari during a Chintan Shivir meeting in Gujarat. The reported target is to complete construction by 2030. The proposed corridor is expected to pass through parts of Yadadri Bhuvanagiri, Nalgonda, Suryapet, NTR and Krishna districts.

The project is planned in three packages. The first covers 181.30 km from Hyderabad to Nandigama at an estimated cost of ₹6,792.52 crore, while the second covers 45 km from Nandigama to Vijayawada at ₹2,965.11 crore. Both are proposed under the Build-Operate-Transfer model. The third package covers 59.695 km from Vijayawada to Machilipatnam, with an estimated cost of ₹806.77 crore under the Hybrid Annuity Mode. The proposed design includes a six-lane main carriageway, protective barriers, two service roads and bypasses near major towns. Access points for local traffic are planned at intervals of around 15–18 km, while an automatic digital toll system based on the distance travelled is also proposed. The report estimates that 213.33 hectares of private land in Telangana and 6.50 hectares in Andhra Pradesh may need to be acquired. If implemented as proposed, the corridor could reduce travel time, ease congestion and improve road safety. The approval, implementation schedule and project details should be confirmed through official government announcements.