Ahead of PM visit,Andhra pegs its flood loss at Rs 20,000 cr

Before Prime Minister Manmohan Singh arrives here on Friday on a two-day visit to conduct an aerial survey of the flood-affected areas in Andhra Pradesh...

Before Prime Minister Manmohan Singh arrives here on Friday on a two-day visit to conduct an aerial survey of the flood-affected areas in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka,the Andhra Pradesh government has pegged the loss due to floods at Rs 20,000 crore.

Initial estimates by the authorities had put the total flood loss at Rs 12,225 crore. The damage to public infrastructure alone is estimated to be Rs 10,000 crore. Standing crops worth over Rs 4,000 crore have been washed away in 13 districts affected by floods or heavy rain.

Chief Minister K Rosaiah said the PM would arrive at Vijayawada airport and would go for an aerial survey of the flood-hit districts. Singh would later return to Hyderabad and hold a review meeting on flood relief work. On Saturday,Singh would leave to conduct an aerial survey of flood-hit areas of Karnataka.

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With several state highways and major roads damaged due to the floods,the government on Thursday released Rs167 crore for their repairs and restoration. Minister for Roads and Buildings G Aruna Kumari said state highways in 13 districts were damaged. The loss is estimated to be Rs 109 crore. The bad condition of the roads has not only caused traffic jams but has also delayed relief and rehabilitation measures. Hundreds of trucks carrying relief supplies,medicines and food are stuck on the highways in Krishna,Kurnool and East Godavari districts.

The government has also released Rs 10 crore for urgent repairs of national highways in the flood-hit areas. Aruna Kumari said 234 kms of national highways were badly damaged. Roads and buildings officials said that the Hyderabad-Srisailam state highway would be restored in 24 hours.

The government has launched a massive operation to provide relief to about 40 villages marooned by the floods in Krishna district.

Rosaiah told mediapersons thousands of workers had been mobilised who would try to clear the debris and sanitise the areas to prevent outbreak of diseases. Union Minister of State for Railways H K Muniyappa said train services in the flood-hit areas of Andhra Pradesh would be restored from October 15.