NHAI to implement construction of mega highway projects
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved two mega corridors, costing Rs.14,114.81 crore, to be implemented by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI).
The Rs.7,145.14 crore Kanpur–Kabrai Access-Controlled Greenfield Highway, a four-lane access-controlled corridor with structures designed for future six-laning, is to be a key segment of the Bhopal–Kanpur Economic Corridor under the National Highways (O) Programme.
NHAI will implement to construction of 117.7 km on BOT (Toll) mode, together with the operation and maintenance of the existing Kanpur-Kabrai section of NH-34.
The project will provide seamless, high-speed connectivity between Kanpur and Kabrai, while strengthening onward connectivity to Sagar, Bhopal and other parts of Madhya Pradesh, thereby creating a modern access controlled economic corridor linking the industrial and commercial centres of Uttar Pradesh with mineral-rich, manufacturing and agricultural regions of Madhya Pradesh thereby improving.
Designed for operating speeds of 80–100 kmph, the corridor will reduce travel time between Kanpur and Kabrai from 3.5 hours to 1.5 hours or 58%, while improving road safety, reducing vehicle operating costs and facilitating efficient movement of passenger and freight traffic.
The project will also provide strategic connectivity with NH-34, NH-35, the Bundelkhand Expressway, Kanpur Ring Road, and State Highways SH-46, SH-91, SH-10B and SH-42, thereby strengthening integration with the regional highway network.
The corridor further strengthens connectivity to the Kabrai mining belt, improving the movement of minerals, industrial goods, construction materials and agricultural produce, thereby enhancing logistics efficiency, supply chain resilience and regional economic development.
Aligned with the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan, the project will improve connectivity to 16 Economic Nodes, including the Unnao, Banther, Pankhi, Rania, Jainpur, Rooma, Chakeri, Sumerpur and Bhuragarh Industrial Areas, Trans Ganga Integrated Township, Growth Centre Jaipur, Kanpur Nagar Node and Bengal Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals Ltd. It will also strengthen connectivity to 9 Social Nodes, namely Fatehpur, Mahoba, Kanpur Zoological Park, Buddha Park, J.K. Temple & Garden, Radha Krishna Temple, Siddheshwar Mahadev Temple, Gopeshwar Mandir and Mahoba Tourist Place, and 10 Logistics Nodes, including Kanpur, Ghatampur, Hamirpur, Mahoba, Kabrai, Bharwa Sumerpur and Banda Railway Stations, together with Kanpur, Chakeri and Khajuraho Airports.
The project is expected to generate approximately 11,188 direct and 13,985 indirect person-days of employment per lane per km during construction and is projected to carry an Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) of about 18,069 Passenger Car Units (PCUs) by FY 2028, underscoring its long-term economic, logistics and transport significance. The proposed project will thus generate close to 1.2 Crore person-days of direct employment and indirect employment, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said on 1 July.
NHAI’s second project is the construction of 6 Lane Road Tunnel For NH-148AE connecting Dwarka Expressway (NH 248 BB) with Nelson Mandela Marg, Vasant Kunj in Delhi with a total project length of 8.1 Km and total capital cost of Rs.6969.67 crore on Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM) under NH (O) scheme.
Project will provide faster connectivity between West and South Delhi connecting UER 2/ Dwarka Expressway with Vasant Kunj in South Delhi. Further benefiting traffic from Gurugram, Dwarka, IGI Airport, and West Delhi towards South Delhi. Underground twin-tube tunnel minimizes surface disruption, preserving Southern Ridge Forest (1.98 km tunnel section passes beneath the Ridge). NHAI is also proposing Elevated Corridor between AIIMS and Mahipalpur. This link will connect Tunnel with Barapullah elevated road thereby connecting West Delhi, South Delhi with East Delhi, Ghaziabad and NOIDA.
The proposed tunnel passes through Rangpuri (Southern Delhi) Ridge, designed as a twin-tube tunnel (to be constructed through TBM), takes off from Shivmurti Interchange and terminates before the intersection of Nelson Mandela Marg and Mahipalpur Chhatarpur Road.
To mitigate congestion at this intersection an elevated road is also proposed (1.8 Km) along the Nelson Mandela Marg. Additional flyover from Chhatarpur towards Mahipalpur is also proposed along the existing flyover. For facilitating right turn traffic from towards Chhatarpur, an elevated U Turn is also proposed.
Length of the Main Carriageway is 6.3 Km. Considering proposed flyover and elevated U Turn along Mahipalpur Chhatarpur Road, the total project length is 8.100 km, including 3.140 km of tunnel, 0.980 km of tunnel approach ramp, 0.554 km Approach with RE Wall, 2.556 Elevated Portion and 0.870 km of at-grade road.
It has been estimated that development of each lane-kilometer of a National Highway generates average 264 person-days/ day of direct employment and average 55 person-days/ day of indirect employment. Therefore, the project will generate close to 7.54 lakh person-days of direct employment and 9.80 lakh person-days of indirect employment. The project will also induce additional employment opportunities due to increase in economic activity in the vicinity of the proposed high-speed corridor, the Ministry said. fiinews.com
