V M Banjara (Khammam Dist.): Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Shipping Nitin Gadkari today assured that a dry port would be set up in Khammam district.

He said the dry port will be set up as per the request by local elected representatives in view of the regions geographical proximity with the Kakinada port in Andhra Pradesh.

The union minister also assured that the Suryapet-Devarapalli State highway will soon be converted into a National Highway.

In addition, he said the Sattupalli-Kothagudem two-lane road will be widened into a four-lane facility.

Earlier, the union minister made a strong pitch for the development of inland waterways. Gadkari reveiled that a plan is being drafted to convert 101 rivers, including the Godavari, into waterways across the country soon.

Gadkari said as per the plan works worth Rs. 5 lakh crore will be taken up for the development of inland waterways in the country in the next 10 years.

Earlier, at V M Banjara in Penuballi mandal on Wednesday he formally inaugurated works of upgradation of 49.80-km stretch of AP/TS border-Rudrampur section of National Highway 221 (New NH 30) in Telangana state.