Vijayawada–Bengaluru Greenfield Highway Gains Momentum, Boosting South India Connectivity

Construction of the Vijayawada–Bengaluru greenfield national highway has gained full momentum, offering a major boost to road infrastructure and inter-state connectivity between Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Once completed, the six-lane access-controlled expressway is expected to significantly reduce travel time between Vijayawada, Amaravati, and Bengaluru, while opening up new economic opportunities across several districts.

Developed as NH-544G under the Bharatmala Pariyojana Phase II, the project aims to cut the current Bengaluru–Vijayawada travel time from 11–12 hours to nearly six hours. The highway is being implemented by the National Highways Authority of India, with construction activity progressing rapidly across multiple stretches. Large-scale earthworks, embankment formation, bridge construction, and asphalt-laying are underway, supported by advanced machinery to ensure speed and quality.

The corridor passes through key districts of Andhra Pradesh including Guntur, Prakasam, Kurnool, and Kadapa before entering Karnataka. Designed as a greenfield alignment, the highway bypasses congested towns and existing routes, enabling uninterrupted movement of passenger and freight traffic. This is expected to ease pressure on older highways while improving logistics efficiency.

The total length of the project is estimated at around 520–620 km, combining both greenfield and brownfield sections, at an overall cost of approximately ₹19,200 crore. The greenfield stretch alone spans over 340 km and has been divided into 14 construction packages. These have been awarded to major infrastructure companies such as Megha Engineering & Infrastructures, KNR Constructions, and Dilip Buildcon.

Prakasam district forms one of the longest stretches of the expressway in Andhra Pradesh, covering nearly 110 km. Construction activity in the district has intensified, with steady progress in road formation, culvert works, and blacktop paving. Land acquisition across most stretches has been largely completed, enabling uninterrupted execution and creating local employment opportunities.

Once operational, the highway is expected to transform connectivity for Andhra Pradesh’s agricultural and industrial belts, facilitating faster movement of farm produce, minerals, and manufactured goods to major markets in Vijayawada, Bengaluru, and east coast ports. Officials have indicated that work across all packages is progressing on schedule, with the entire project targeted for completion by 2026.