Bridge Under Construction near Kothavalasa, Vizianagaram of the Expressway
History
To improve connectivity, tourism, development and economic growth in Central India, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) planned to build an expressway from Raipur to Visakhapatnam in 2014. It will reduce both travel time and distance, from 13 hours to only 8-9 hours, and from 595 km to 464 km. It will pass through the regions of Dandakaranya and the Eastern Ghats. Once completed, these regions will see exponential growth with the growth of industries and socio-economic development by promoting employment among people living in the regions, which the regions currently lack altogether. The plan was approved by the Government of India in 2017, and Prime MinisterNarendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the construction of the expressway in November 2022. The project is being built at a cost of ₹ 20,000 crore, and construction is ongoing on most parts of the expressway's route. The expressway is expected to become operational by the 2025.[4][5][6]
In Odisha, it will pass through 2 south-western-most districts on eastern and western side of NH-26 in Nabarangpur and Koraput districts, respectively:
The expressway will be fully six-lane, access-controlled and a greenfield project. It is being built using the Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM) mode of construction. The land acquisition and the bidding process for the project is fully completed, except three packages in the Odisha section, and construction is ongoing on most of the expressway's route. The Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the project was made by the South Korean firm, YONGMA Engineering Co. Ltd. – Arkitechno Consultants. The project has been divided into 19 packages. The following table lists the packages, contractors and their statuses.[7]
The expressway will benefit Central India along with the entire country as follows:[8]
Trade: The expressway has been planned specially to boost exports from Central India, to benefit the mineral-rich states of the western part of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Odisha by boosting exports of goods and minerals, and reducing dependency on imports through the Visakhapatnam Port to countries of East Asia and the Asia-Pacific, i.e., China, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Indonesia, etc., the main countries to where the minerals get exported.
Tourism: The expressway will help to facilitate tourism by developing backward and relatively unknown areas in the Dandakaranya and the Eastern Ghats regions, due to the presence of a high level of tourist spots dotted across the three states, also major destinations like Araku Valley, along the expressway's route, and several wildlife parks, sanctuaries including some national parks, such as Sitanadi Wildlife Sanctuary, Indravati National Park, Amravati Forest Range, Ambapani Sanctuary, etc.
Connectivity: The expressway will not only create a direct route from Raipur to Visakhapatnam, but in the coming years, will also see the entire Central India get connected directly with the rest of the country, through other expressways, even internationally, with Nepal. These links will altogether result in faster, safer and better commute and transportation of goods and people to and from the country.
Protection of the Environment: To ensure the protection of the green cover and the environment, as the expressway will pass through the Eastern Ghats, the entire route of it will have plants and trees in between and along its both sides. To avoid noise and light pollution affecting the environment, noise barriers will be installed on both sides, which will block noise, as well as light, on all forest sections of the expressway. Other procedures undertaken are the usage of sustainable construction methods and the construction of tunnels along hilly sections.
Employment: Due to increase in industrial activities along the expressway's route, various agricultural and industrial initiatives to help the state's economy and growth. The establishment of these numerous centres will result in multiple job possibilities for thousands of people living in both the states.
Proposed future connectivity
Following additional connectivity has been proposed by constructing new links with the expressway:
Hisar–Pilani–Jhunjhunu: Upgrade of Hisar (elevated from railway over-bridge near Mangali to Camp Chowk, Jat College and Thandi Sadak over-bridge)-Mangali–Saharwa (with a greenfield Siwani–Sahrwa–Dobeta–Kanwari–Bawani Khera spur . Greenfield alignment from Sharwa to Bidhwan–Bahal to Norangpura (west of Pilani) to Baragaon (south of Jhunjuhunu on Rajasthan SH-32).
Jhunjhunu–Jaipur: greenfield Baragaon-Raghunathpura, upgrade existing from Raghunathpura–Udaipurwati-Kotri Luharwas, greenfield from Kotri Luharwas to Khandela Mod bus stand, upgrade existing route from Khandela Mod bus stand to Srimadhopur-Reengus to connect it to NH-52. From there greenfield alignment to Tonk via Reengus-Hasteda-Gori Ka Bas-Lalpura–Bagru–Phagi–Galod–Tonk resulting in direct access to another NCR CMS city of Kota.
Chambal River, this requires the construction of a greenfield highway and a road-cum-rail bridge over the river, between Karauli-Taintara and/or Sirmathura-Joura with 2 spurs on eastern flank of Chambal - one each to connect to Gwalior and Datia.
NCR–CMG hubs of Ludhiana–Patiala–Ambala–Narnaul–Alwar
Rajasthan SH-14 (Narnaul–Alwar–Mathura Highway), with whole route between Narnaul and Mathura to be upgraded for economic corridor and the religious Krishna Yatra Circuit.
Rajasthan SH-25, Alwar–Rajgarh portion to be upgraded.
Dalalpura/Machari to Berkhera-Mahwa, a greenfield alignment, alternatively the longer existing Rajasthan SH-35 Rajgarh-Mahwa portion can be upgraded.
Rajasthan SH-22, Mahwa–Hindon–Karauli portion to be upgraded.
Chambal River, this requires the construction of a greenfield highway and a road-cum-rail bridge over the river between Karauli–Taintara and/or Sirmathura–Joura with 2 spurs on eastern flank of Chambal - one each to connect to Gwalior and Datia.
