The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways announces a groundbreaking initiative to construct 14 new expressways and high-speed corridors spanning 2,279 km, requiring an investment of ₹1.3 lakh crore.
In a major infrastructure development, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has unveiled plans to build 14 expressways and high-speed corridors covering a total distance of 2,279 km. This ambitious project, with an estimated investment of ₹1.3 lakh crore, aims to enhance connectivity across several states, including Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Assam, Odisha, Kerala, Gujarat, Raipur, Bihar, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Jharkhand.
Sources reveal that the ministry has submitted proposals for seven projects, with an approximate cost of ₹70,000 crore, seeking feedback from other ministries. As each project involves an investment exceeding ₹1,000 crore and follows a public-private participation (PPP) model, approval from a designated panel is required before presenting them to the Cabinet for final clearance.
Among the identified projects, the Surat-Nasik-Ahmednagar-Solapur stretch, covering 599 km, stands out as the longest. Other noteworthy stretches include Kharagpur-Siliguri in West Bengal, Sanchor-Mehsana-Ahmedabad passing through Rajasthan and Gujarat, Kanpur Bypass in UP, Kozhikode-Malappuram-Palakkad in Kerala, Raipur-Ranchi, and the Jorhaat-Badarpur corridor in Assam. The Coastal Road in Odisha, spanning 346 km, emerges as the second longest, fulfilling a longstanding planning objective.
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has initiated the bidding process for certain finalised stretches, including a greenfield six-lane expressway linking Agra with Gwalior. The selection of these stretches prioritises efficient movement of heavy goods vehicles, aiming to reduce transit time and logistics costs significantly.
