Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has laid the foundation for infrastructure projects worth Rs. 113.6 bn across 123 municipalities in the state’s 26 districts. The virtual ceremony was conducted from Kuppam in Chittoor district, marking the first use of the Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM) for municipal projects in Andhra Pradesh.

The overall package includes Rs. 74.69 bn for statewide works and Rs. 38.9 bn earmarked for the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation. The projects are focused primarily on urban renewal and are intended to improve basic civic infrastructure across participating municipalities.

Road construction accounts for Rs. 46.56 bn of the allocation. The package also includes Rs. 2.47 bn for street lighting, Rs. 5.09 bn for parks and Rs. 880 mn for central medians. Together, the projects cover several categories of work intended to upgrade public spaces and transport infrastructure in urban centres.

The HAM structure represents a change in the financing approach for municipal development in the state. Under the model, project costs are shared between public funding and private investment, allowing construction and related works to be supported through a combination of government expenditure and private participation.

During his visit to Kuppam, Naidu also inaugurated train halts for the Dadar-Puducherry and Vasco Da Gama-Velankini services. The chief minister said Kuppam now has 59 train halts, while efforts are continuing to secure additional stops. Officials in Anantapur said the municipality would receive Rs. 500 mn from the package for road, park and street-lighting upgrades.