Lok Sabha MPs from erstwhile Anantapur district urged Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari to take up expansion works on the Hyderabad-Bengaluru national highway in view of the increasing traffic flow on the highway.Anantapur MP Ambica Lakshminarayana and Hindupur MP B..K. Pardhasarathy on Wednesday evening met Mr. Gadkari in New Delhi and submitted a representation seeking to resolve various issues related to expansion of highways, connectivity to industrial corridors and reducing accidents.Mr. Lakshminarayana told the Union Minister that the National Highway-44 connects Hyderabad and Bengaluru, which are the main centres for IT and economic development of Telangana State and Karnataka respectively. He said some 50-60 accidents have been reported in the past one year after he become MP and sought the expansion of the existing four-lane highway to a six-lane one. He said the four-lane highway is unable to cater to the large volume of traffic resulting in accidents, delays and more expenditure on fuel.The MP also urged Mr. Gadkari to take up construction of a vehicle underpass at Singanamala Cross in Anantapur district as the spot was witnessing huge traffic leading to accidents. A large number of farmers, students and elderly people use the road and there were instances of accidents involving them, he said.Further, Mr. Lakshminarayana wanted the Union Ministry to extend assistance from the Centre for seven key road projects which include roads between Madakasira to Yemmiganur in Kurnool, extension of NH-544D till Chitradurg from Anantapur, rectification of blackspots on NH-44, completion of NH-67 from Gooty to Tadipatri, development of Gooty-Adoni-Mantralayam road, roads between Nayanapalle to Batalapally and connectivity between NH-544D to NH-42 via Anantapur East Bypass. “The completion of these projects will be key for development of industries and transport sector and will also be useful for farmers and MSMEs,” he said.The MPs also wanted development of 120 km road between Yelahanka in Bengaluru to Somamdepalle in Andhra Pradesh.Published - July 31, 2025 03:49 pm IST