Centre Clears Rs 3,600 Cr Nellore–Badvel Highway to Boost Industrial Connectivity

The Centre has approved a Rs 3,600 crore four-lane highway project connecting Nellore and Badvel in Andhra Pradesh, aimed at strengthening industrial connectivity and improving freight movement across key corridors. The 108 km project along NH-67 is expected to be taken up for execution within six months, with the tendering process nearing completion.

The project, cleared by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by Narendra Modi, will be developed under the DBFOT model. The corridor will connect major industrial nodes including Kopparthy under the Visakhapatnam Chennai Industrial Corridor, Orvakal under the Hyderabad Bengaluru Industrial Corridor and Krishnapatnam under the Chennai Bengaluru Industrial Corridor.

Starting from Gopavaram village in YSR Kadapa district, the highway will extend up to the Krishnapatnam Port junction on NH-16, improving access to Krishnapatnam Port, a key maritime hub. The new alignment is expected to reduce the travel distance to the port by around 34 km and cut travel time by nearly one hour, resulting in lower logistics costs and improved efficiency.