The six-laning of Guwahati bypass has achieved progress ahead of time as the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is targeting completion of the major road widening project with four flyovers and one vehicular underpass (VUP) within December.
According to the previous plan, the likely date of completion of the project was August 31, 2024.
The project is being executed at a cost of Rs 300 crore and work commenced on March 3 last year. The Guwahati bypass has been upgraded to cater to increased traffic and congestion, especially at the major junctions.
Sources in NHAI said of the 16.45 km length of the highway that is being converted from four to six lanes, the task has been completed on 14.32 km. The physical progress of the project, as on date, has, however, been 59% as flyovers in the stretch are yet to get a final shape. “In the coming months, almost the entire focus of construction is going to be on completion of the four six-lane flyovers and one VUP. Foundations of the four bridges and the VUP have been completed. Now work is being expedited on the approaches,” a senior official of the NHAI told on Thursday.
The major worry is going to be the rain, which can hamper work of the approaches of the flyovers in the monsoon season. But the sources said the NHAI is eyeing completion of the project by December considering all possible adversities.
The four flyovers are coming up at some of the most crowded junctions in the stretch between Jalukbari and Khanapara — at Boragaon, Gorchuk, Lokhra and Basistha. The lone VUP is under construction at Beharbari.
Traffic congestion on the 16.45 km stretch of the Guwahati bypass has been an irritating experience for travellers going to upper Assam, Shillong and other major destinations of the northeast through the roadway. The Guwahati bypass is a vital route taken to travel from Guwahati airport to areas around state capital Dispur in the eastern part of the city.
The Guwahati bypass is one of the busiest routes in the region with an estimated 50,000 vehicles passing through the road every day. As per the detailed project report data in 2019, passenger car unit (PCU), a measure for determining traffic density, was 40,000, while the same has gone up to about 45,000 PCU of late.
