The Vijayawada-Hyderabad National Highway (NH-65), one of the busiest routes in India, is plagued by design flaws that make travel hazardous. Known for its sharp curves and slopes, the highway is highly accident-prone. Recent flooding has exacerbated the problem, with several sections of the highway submerged and traffic nearly brought to a halt over the past few days.

NH-65, which connects Hyderabad to Vijayawada and serves as a crucial link to Kolkata and Chennai, has suffered from what critics call the National Highway Authority of India?s (NHAI) "unscientific approach" to construction. Despite detailed maps of local streams and flood flows provided by district administrations, the designs reportedly prioritised budget constraints over practical concerns.

In 2009, floods severely damaged a section near the Kesara bridge in Nandigama constituency. While NHAI has since strengthened and reconstructed parts of the highway, crucial bridges were not built where streams cross. Former minister Vasantha Nageswara Rao highlighted the need for an additional bridge near Aithavaram, citing persistent local requests that have not been addressed due to litigation between the NH contractor and the Centre.

The highway often experiences traffic stoppages during heavy rains, particularly near Kodad, Jaggaiahpet, and Nandigama, where flash floods disrupt vehicular movement. The Centre has recently approved plans to widen NH-65 from four to six lanes and adjust certain alignments to improve safety. However, TDP leader Jagadeesh has called for these upgrades to also address flooding issues.

R&B Minister BC Janardhan Reddy has pledged to discuss these concerns with NHAI authorities to ensure that the highway's redesign addresses both accident prevention and flood management.

(ET)