The Vijayawada-Hyderabad National Highway (NH-65), one of the busiest routes in India, is plagued by design flaws that make travel dangerous. The highway is known for its sharp bends and gradients, making it prone to accidents. Recent floods have exacerbated the problem, with several sections of the highway submerged and traffic nearly brought to a standstill in recent days.

NH-65, which connects Hyderabad to Vijayawada and provides a vital link to Kolkata and Chennai, has suffered from what critics call the National Highway Authority of India's (NHAI) "unscientific approach" to its construction. Despite detailed maps of local flows and flood flows provided by district administrations, the designs reportedly prioritized budget constraints over practical concerns.

In 2009, a section near Kesara Bridge in Nandigama constituency was badly damaged by floods. Although NHAI has since strengthened and reconstructed parts of the highway, crucial bridges were not built where rivers intersect. Former minister Vasantha Nageswara Rao stressed the need for an additional bridge at Aithavaram, citing persistent local demands that have not been addressed due to litigation between the NH contractor and the Centre.

The highway often faces traffic congestion during heavy rains, especially near Kodad, Jaggaiahpet and Nandigama, where flash floods disrupt traffic. The Centre recently approved plans to widen NH-65 from four to six lanes and upgrade certain alignments to improve safety. However, TDP leader Jagadeesh has called for these upgrades to also address the flooding problem.

R&B Minister BC Janardhan Reddy has promised to take up these concerns with the NHAI authorities to ensure that the new design of the expressway addresses both accident prevention and flood management.