The Indian government has approved the construction of a cable bridge across the river Krishna at Somasila, connecting the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. The bridge, which will cost Rs 1,000 crore, will also be developed as a tourist spot with an additional Rs 500 crore. The Ministry of Road Transport and National Highways will finalize the bids for the project soon.
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has finalized the sketches and models for the cable bridge. It will be part of the development of National Highway 167, which connects the two states. Both states have agreed to support the project without any issues related to their separation and will also support the development of a new highway on a 179-km stretch.
Officials have stated that the bridge will significantly reduce the distance and travel time between Hyderabad and Tirupati. Currently, it takes around 10 to 11 hours to travel the 550-km distance between the two cities. After the completion of the cable bridge, the travel time between Tirupati and Hyderabad will be reduced by at least one hour.