Somasila Iconic Bridge Project Gets Centre's Green Light: Boosts Tourism, Cuts Travel Time

• Somasila, in Nagarkurnool district, Telangana, is a tourist destination on the Krishna River, known for its natural beauty, Nallamala forests, and the ancient Lalitha Someswara Swamy Temple.
• The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has given preliminary approval for diverting 60 acres of forest land for the iconic bridge project.
• Stage-1 approvals for land use, part of NH-167K expansion, were granted at a regional meeting in Chennai in late February.
• The Central Government will construct this cable-stayed bridge across the Krishna River, connecting Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, at an estimated cost of over Rs. 1,000 crore.
• The bridge will reduce travel distance between Hyderabad and Tirupati by 80 km, saving time and boosting tourism in the Nallamala region.