Godavari Fourth Bridge — Local services in Andhra Pradesh

The total length of the bridge is 6 km, and it will also have two approach roads on the Rajahmundry (8 km) and Kovvur (1 km) sides. The four-lane bridge will have two abutments, 81 piers and 166 expansion joints. Heavy vehicles will not be allowed on the new bridge, which reduces the distance between Chennai and Kolkata by 50 km, besides reducing the traffic burden on the existing rail-cum-road bridge between Rajahmundry and Eluru.

Meanwhile, the project cost has gone up to Rs. 800 crore from the estimated Rs. 512 crore. “We will open one side of the road probably by April 10, and the second side will take another fortnight,” Gammon India in-charge general manager Nageswara Rao said.

For the record, the bridge, the foundation stone for which was laid by then Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy in 2009, was to have been completed in 2012. Gammon India Limited secured two extensions in 2013 and two more in 2014, before the deadline was set as 31 March 2015. However, works continued to be delayed, with the company citing reasons such as land acquisition issues and non-availability of sand. Issues pertaining to 41 cents of Endowment land on the Kovvur side was settled in December last year, paving the way for an...

Vehicular traffic on the newly built four-lane road bridge across Godavari river connecting Diwan Cheruvu to Kovvur villages in Godavari districts is not on expected lines.

People travelling between Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam and vice versa are expected to save time and fuel as the distance is reduced by about 40 km if they take four-lane bridge instead of the circuitous route.

RDC executive engineer K. John Sudhakar said, “A large number of people travelling between Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam and beyond are using the new bridge as it saves time to reach their destination.

However, drivers of some multi-axle trucks prefer the old route due to narrow stretch of road from Gundugolanu to Kovvur.

The R and B authorities say that a proposal to develop the two-lane road between Gundugolanu and Kovvur to six-lanes is under active consideration of the government and in fact, there are proposals to hand over the task to the National Highway Authority of India to take up its development soon.

West Godavari R and B superintending engineer R. Srimannarayana confirmed that the proposal to develop the two-lane into six-lane between Gundugolanu to Kovvur will...

The Godavari Fourth Bridge or Kovvur–Rajahmundry 4th Bridge is built across Godavari River in Rajahmundry, India. This dual bridge connects Kovvur in West Godavari district to Diwancheruvu in East Godavari district via Rajahmundry bypass express road

The foundation stone for the bridge was laid in 2009 by then Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy. 4th bridge was targeted for completed in 2012, but due to multiple delays it was opened to traffic in 2015. Due to delays the cost of bridge went up to Rs. 800 crore from the estimated Rs. 512 crore. This bridge was expected to ease traffic through Rajahmundry city but some multi-axle trucks are using old route due to the narrow road connecting the bridge from...