Gadkari approves ₹679.71 cr NH-42 upgrade in Andhra Pradesh
Synopsis
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has approved ₹679.71 crore to widen NH-42 from Mudigubba to Kadiri in Andhra Pradesh's Sri Sathya Sai district from two lanes to four, boosting connectivity to the BKV Expressway, Tirupati, and Chennai.
Key Takeaways
The central government has approved ₹679.71 crore for upgrading NH-42 between Mudigubba and Kadiri in Sri Sathya Sai district, Andhra Pradesh .
The highway will be widened from a two-lane road with paved shoulders to a four-lane highway with paved shoulders .
The project includes 1 flyover , 1 VUP-cum-ROB , 1 major bridge , and service roads alongside the main carriageway.
The upgraded corridor will connect Anantapur and Sri Sathya Sai districts , and parts of Karnataka , to the BKV Expressway , Tirupati , and Chennai .
The project is aligned with the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan and Bharatmala Pariyojana frameworks.
Key next steps include tendering, land acquisition, and scheduling of construction along the Mudigubba–Kadiri stretch.
Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday, 23 July 2026, announced approval of ₹679.71 crore for the widening and strengthening of National Highway 42 (NH-42) from Mudigubba to Kadiri in Sri Sathya Sai district, Andhra Pradesh, upgrading the corridor from a two-lane road with paved shoulders to a four-lane highway with paved shoulders.
Context
Gadkari stated that the project will 'provide seamless connectivity from Anantapur and Sri Sathya Sai districts, as well as parts of Karnataka, to the Bengaluru–Vijayawada–Kolkata (BKV) Expressway, Tirupati, and Chennai.' The announcement was made via a post on X tagged under #PragatiKaHighway and #GatiShakti, signalling its alignment with the central government's flagship infrastructure coordination framework.
The stretch connects two interior districts of Andhra Pradesh that have historically depended on narrower national highway capacity, limiting freight movement and inter-district commuting. The upgrade is intended to reduce travel and freight transit time, decongest existing traffic, and strengthen regional logistics and economic activity along this corridor.
Policy Backdrop
The approval fits within the broader Bharatmala Pariyojana, cleared in 2015, which targets the development of over 34,000 km of national highways including systematic upgrades from two-lane to four-lane standards across India. The PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan, launched in October 2021, further synchronises road, rail, and logistics projects across ministries to eliminate siloed planning.
Southern highway corridors linking Bengaluru, Chennai, and Kolkata have received repeated priority under both frameworks. Andhra Pradesh has seen several such central approvals aimed at integrating its interior districts with coastal and inter-state routes, reflecting the state's strategic position as a transit zone between peninsular and eastern India.
The proposed BKV Expressway — the Bengaluru–Vijayawada–Kolkata Expressway — is envisioned as a major east-west corridor, and the NH-42 upgrade is explicitly designed to serve as a feeder route into that larger network once it is operational.
Stakeholders and Impact
The project scope includes a four-lane main carriageway, service roads, 1 flyover, 1 Vehicle Underpass-cum-Road Over Bridge (VUP-cum-ROB), and 1 major bridge. These structural components are aimed at ensuring safer passage for both commuters and heavy freight traffic along the upgraded stretch.
Freight operators and logistics firms routing goods between Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh's coastal and northern markets stand to benefit directly from reduced transit times. Local commuters in Mudigubba, Kadiri, and surrounding areas in Sri Sathya Sai and Anantapur districts will gain improved access to state and national economic hubs, including Tirupati and Chennai.
The corridor also holds significance for pilgrimage traffic, given the religious importance of the Sri Sathya Sai region, and for agricultural produce movement from the interior districts to coastal markets.
What's Next
The immediate steps for the project will involve tendering, land acquisition, and finalisation of a construction timeline — processes that will determine how quickly the four-lane upgrade moves from approval to ground-level execution. The status of land acquisition along the Mudigubba–Kadiri stretch will be a key variable in project delivery timelines.
Further highway project announcements for Andhra Pradesh are anticipated in the current fiscal year as the central government continues to prioritise southern corridor development. The NH-42 upgrade, once complete, is expected to serve as a critical link in the larger inter-state logistics network anchored by the BKV Expressway.
Point of View
With interior districts receiving targeted upgrades to compensate for their distance from the coast. Framing the project around the BKV Expressway connection is politically significant: it positions the central government as the enabler of a transformative corridor that the state alone could not finance. The tagging of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan in the post signals a cooperative federalism optic that the ruling alliance at both the state and central levels has cultivated. For Gadkari, the announcement reinforces his ministry's record of project approvals in the run-up to budget and policy cycles, keeping the infrastructure narrative at the forefront of political messaging.
NationPress
23 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the NH-42 Mudigubba to Kadiri highway project?
It is a central government-approved project worth ₹679.71 crore to widen NH-42 from Mudigubba to Kadiri in Sri Sathya Sai district, Andhra Pradesh , upgrading it from a two-lane road to a four-lane highway with paved shoulders, including a flyover, a VUP-cum-ROB, and a major bridge.
How will the NH-42 upgrade benefit Andhra Pradesh?
The project will improve connectivity from Anantapur and Sri Sathya Sai districts to the BKV Expressway , Tirupati , and Chennai , reduce travel and freight transit times, decongest traffic, and strengthen regional logistics and economic activity.
What is the BKV Expressway and how is NH-42 connected to it?
The Bengaluru–Vijayawada–Kolkata (BKV) Expressway is a proposed major east-west corridor. The upgraded NH-42 is designed to serve as a feeder route, connecting interior districts of Andhra Pradesh and parts of Karnataka to this larger expressway network.
Which government scheme covers this highway project?
The project is aligned with the Bharatmala Pariyojana — the central highway development programme approved in 2015 — and the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan , launched in October 2021 for integrated multimodal infrastructure planning.
Who announced the NH-42 upgrade approval?
Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari announced the approval on 23 July 2026 via a post on X, tagging senior Andhra Pradesh leaders including Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan .
