₹840-cr Buttaigudem-Kovvur highway upgradation approved for Godavari Pushkarams: Purandeswari

Rajamahendravaram MP D. Purandeswari on Wednesday (August 28, 2026) announced that Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways Nitin Gadkari has approved the upgradation of the two-lane road between Buttaigudem and Kovvur along the bank of the river Godavari with a revised cost of ₹840 crore.The 45-kilometer-long road will be laid through LND Peta and Pattiseema as part of the upgradation of National Highway 365BB.In April 2026, Ms. Purandeswari appealed to Mr. Gadkari to upgradation the Kovvur-Polavaram road along the banks of the Godavari to tackle the estimated eight crore devotees expected to throng the Godavari Pushkarams, apart from improving connectivity from the tribal pockets, Polavaram irrigation project to Rajamahendravaram.On August 25, Nitin Gadkari shared on X; “In Andhra Pradesh, we have approved ₹840.41 crore for the upgradation of the 45.09-km Buttaigudem–LND Peta and Pattiseema–Kovvur sections of NH-365BB to 2-lane with paved shoulders configuration. The project will significantly improve connectivity to the Polavaram Irrigation Project and surrounding villages”.Ghats connectivity“Improved road infrastructure will enable faster, safer and more efficient movement of agricultural produce to markets, strengthening farm-to-market linkages and supporting local livelihoods. It will provide better access to important ghats along the Godavari, which attract devotees and visitors for holy baths and trips to the Polavaram Dam,” added Mr. Gadkari.The highway facility will improve connectivity between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.Thanking Mr. Gadkari for approving the project, Ms. Purandeswari has claimed that the road would be laid before the commencement of the Godavari pushkarams. Once commissioned, the route plan of the police and transport department will be revised for the Godavari pushkarams to monitor vehicular movements. Published - August 26, 2026 11:42 am IST