Four-laning of 110-km to cost Rs.1,889 crore.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved four-laning of Solapur-Bijapur Section of New National Highway (NH)-52 (formerly NH-13) in Maharashtra and Karnataka.
The 110 km of four-laning of former NH-13 would cost approximately Rs.1,889 crore including the cost of land acquisition and pre-construction activities.
The project is to take 4,076 mandays for construction of one kilometer of highway.
The existing road is two-lane and passes through congested towns of Solapur, Takli and Nandani in Maharashtra and Zalki, Horti and Bijapur in Karnataka.
The development will have bypasses at Solapur, Bijapur and construction of six flyovers to reduce travel time. It would improve Vehicle Operating Costs as well as help in expediting the improvement of infrastructure in Maharashtra and Karnataka states.
It connects Southern India with Northern India and its development will serve as an alternative route to North South Corridor of the National Highways Development Programme.
The road is part of the high-density traffic corridor Banglore-Chitradurga-Bijapur-Solapur-Aurangabad-Dhule-lndore-Gwalior.
The provision for two by-passes will ensure decongestion of the urban areas of Solapur and Bijapur.
Similarly, the six flyovers would facilitate fast movement of traffic in Solapur, Mandrup, Zalki and Bijapur towns while simultaneously decongesting the areas.
The two trucks lay-bys will facilitate smooth movement of freight traffic. The truck drivers would also benefit from the amenities in the two rest areas being developed.
On both sides, provision for service roads in 14 km of the project stretch, slip roads in about 40 km and bus shelters at 24 locations will benefit safe, comfortable and smooth movement of long distance commercial traffic as well as movement of local traffic in inhabited/urbanized areas.
Tourists will also get benefit of better connectivity to nearby important tourist places of Bijapur, Hampi near Hospet and Chitradurga, while Solapur being a Textile centre will also benefit from the increased economic opportunities. fii-news.com.
