MANTRALAYAM CLOSER WITH NEW HIGHWAY

IN

The decision of the Union roads and transport ministry to upgrade one more state highway to national highway from Kothakota to Mantralayam through Gadwal and Gudur will reduce the distance between Hyderabad and the temple town, apart from boosting business in the handloom town and localities along the river Krishna.

The development of the highway and construction of a new bridge between Pulikal and Nagal Dinne will assist farmers to sell their crop at any market in both AP and TS, based on demand and price.

For the city residents, the highway will reduce the distance between Gadwal and Yemmiganur by 80 km; these towns are on the road to Mantralayam.

Right now, pilgrims to the Mantralaya Raghavendra Swamy Mutt take either the Kurnool or the Raichur route.

The 260-km route passing via Mahbubnagar, Maktal and Raichur to Mantralayam takes six hours to cover due to the frequent repairs to the Krishna bridge and roads.

The alternative route is through through Kurnool, Kodumur and Yemmiganur. This route at 320 km is longer, but can be completed in five hours, thanks in part to good condition of National Highway 7 till Kurnool.

The new highway, when it comes into being, will reduce the travel time to four hours the distance between Hyderabad and Mantralayam to 223 km.

The proposed route had two lanes but the floods in September 2009 led to the destruction of the bridge on the Krishna river between Nagal Dinne and Pulikal.

Till then, no government took the initiative of developing the bridge; the Karnataka government later reconstructed the bridge between Maktal and Raichur.

Former vice-MPP of Gadwal A. Prathap Goud said the restoration the bridge between Pulikal and Nagal Dinne would assist farmers.

“Farmers from Wanaparthy district are sending their crops to Gadwal market. because of they difficulty in transporting the goods, they are not sending their produce to Adoni and Yemmiganur markets in Kurnool district of AP. Once the bridge comes up, farmers can opt for any of three markets based on the demand and support price,” he said.

Pulikal sarpanch M. Maheshwari said due to the lack of a bridge, the public from neighboring villages were using country boats to cross the river; about seven persons died in the last seven years while crossing the river. “The new bridge will improve transportation from both sides,” he said.