The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) approved the construction of the Vijayawada-Nagpur Express Highway which will improve Andhra Pradesh’s connectivity with the state of Maharashtra.
The NHAI has approved the plan to lay a total of 457 km of roads at a cost of Rs 14,000 crore.
The Greenfield-Brownfield Express Highway will connect Vidarbha in Maharashtra with the aim of further accelerating the transportation of industrial and agricultural products.
The feasibility report and DPRs were finalized and the Vijayawada-Nagpur Express Highway will be constructed under five packages. Among them, Vijayawada-Khammam, Khammam-Warangal, Warangal-Mancherial packages will be constructed under the Greenfield Express Highways. While the Mancherial-Repallewada, and Repallewada-Chandrapur packages will be constructed as Brownfield Express Highways. The existing 4-lane Express Highway between Chandrapur and Nagpur will also be connected to this highway. A total of 310 kms of Greenfield and 147 kms of Brownfield Express Highway will be developed under this project.
This highway will greatly reduce the cost and hassle of traveling between Vijayawada and Nagpur. Currently, the distance from Vijayawada to Nagpur is 770 km via Hyderabad and Adilabad which takes about 13 hours. The new express highway constructed from Vijayawada via Khammam, Warangal, and Mancherial, will reduce the distance between Vijayawada and Nagpur by 163 kms and save around five hours of travel time as well.
With the DPR already prepared, the NHAI has expedited consultations with the Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Maharashtra governments on the land acquisition process. The Revenue Department is preparing for the acquisition of about 1.65 lakh square meters of land in Vijayawada Rural, G. Kondur, and Gampalagudem mandals.
NHAI aims to complete the tender process by December and complete the construction of this express highway by 2025.
