Now it will become very easy to travel from Chhattisgarh to Andhra Pradesh after the completion of Raipur Visakhapatnam Expressway. In fact, an economic corridor is being built between Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, Raipur Visakhapatnam Expressway is part of the Bharatmala project. After its construction, it will become easier to travel between these two cities and the distance will be significantly reduced. This expressway will connect Visakhapatnam and Chhattisgarh state capital Raipur. There should not have been any harm to wild animals during its construction. State-of-the-art roads will be constructed in this economic corridor.
MoRTH (Ministry of Road Transport and Highways) planned to build an expressway from Raipur to Visakhapatnam in 2014, which will improve connectivity, tourism, development and economic growth in Central India.
This Project was approved by the Government of India in 2017. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Raipur Visakhapatnam Expressway in November 2022.
Raipur Visakhapatnam Expressway Overview
- Length: 464 km
- Cost: Rs. 20000 crores
- Lanes: 6
- Starting Point: Abhanpur, Raipur
- Ending Point: Visakhapatnam Port, Visakhapatnam
- Completion Year: December 2024
About Raipur Visakhapatnam Expressway
The Raipur–Visakhapatnam Expressway is six lanes wide and 464 km long. It is one of the new expressway of India that connects Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. Raipur-Visakhapatnam Expressway is an economic corridor sanctioned under Bharatmala Pariyojana Phase-I. There are 124 km of expressway routes in Chhattisgarh, 240 km in Odisha and 100 km in Andhra Pradesh.
400 km road will be built in the first phase. This route will start from Abhanpur, which is near Raipur and will go to Sabbavaram in Andhra Pradesh. After the construction of the corridor, Chhattisgarh will also be connected to Odisha. The foundation stone of this expressway was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2023. The project will be completed by the end of 2024.
Raipur Visakhapatnam Expressway Route
The Raipur Visakhapatnam Expressway starts from Abhanpur in Raipur (Chhattisgarh) and ends at Sabbavaram in Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh). Cities in these three states will be included in it:
Chhattisgarh
It will run between NH 30 and NH 130C in four southeastern districts.
It passes through four southeastern districts of Chhattisgarh state, between NH-30 and NH-130C:
- Raipur district
- Dhamtari district, Kundel
- Kanker district, Naharpur, Sarona, Mukundpur Road.
- Kondagaon district, Keskal, Salna
Odisha
In Odisha, the NH-26 expressway will pass through two districts and cover the following cities:
- Nabarangpur district, Sunapali, Raighar, Umerkote, Dabugaon, Papadahandi, Nowrangpur
- Koraput district, Kotpad, Gaudaguda, Borigumma, Raniguda, Koraput, Sunabeda, Pottangi, Ondarangi
Andhra Pradesh
Just a district covered by expressway on the western side of NH-26 in Andhra Pradesh. It includes the following cities:
- Vizianagaram district, Salur, Gajapathinagaram, Vizianagaram, Sabbavaram-Anandapuram. It ends at SH-9 Anakapalle-Rajapulova Road.
Raipur Visakhapatnam Expressway Progress
HAM, or Hybrid Annuity Model Creation Mode, emploted for this excellent project. Out of the three packages, land acquisition and bidding process for the project in Odisha segment has been completely completed. The world renowned South Korean firm named Yongma Engineering Co., Ltd. – Architechno Consultants prepared the Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the project.
The Raipur Visakhapatnam Expressway has been divided into 19 packages, with each package assigned to a different contractor. Contractors are responsible for deliver their packages within the stipulated time frame and budget.
Raipur Visakhapatnam Expressway Cost
The Central Government has given Rs 20,000 crore for the Raipur-Vishakhapatnam Expressway sanctioned under the Bharatmala Project. The cost includes both construction and land acquisition. Odisha’s expressway portion will be built at a cost of Rs 10,000 crore. The states of Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh will bear the remaining cost.
Importance of Raipur Visakhapatnam Expressway
- Three states, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh, will be developed by the construction of Raipur-Visakhapatnam Expressway. It will become a growth booster that will significantly reduce travel time and improve economic activity.
- Once the Raipur-Visakhapatnam Expressway is built, the journey between the initial and final points will be greatly reduced. At present, it takes 130hours to cover the distance between the two cities. Once the expressway opens, it will take 8 to 9 hours to reach the destination.
- About 31,191 trees will be planted on both sides of the road. There will be work of bushes, plantation and grass carpet in the central area. Additionally, hedges will be installed on both sides of the expressway to reduce the intensity of light, which will protect the wildlife around the area.
- Many educational and medical institutions will be started to improve the quality of life of the people living in this area. The exact number of proposed institutions has not been stated. But something will be opened.
- These states are gradually starting more real estate projects. Expressway developers are relaxed about this. There will also be many job opportunities for people living in such areas. The economy of the respective areas will improve.
- There are many districts in Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. Connectivity between these states, especially in underdeveloped areas, will improve. Also, it will lead to economic and social growth of such areas.
- Convenient transportation system will be provided between the three states. Distance can be covered easily. The expressway will be beneficial for commercial vehicles as well as common travelers.
- In 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had set a target of making India a five trillion dollar economy. He had also set a target of making the country the world’s economic superpower by 2024-2025. The target of an economy of five trillion will be achieved by the construction of infrastructure projects like this expressway.
Conclusion
The Raipur-Visakhapatnam Expressway has six lanes and is 464 km long. Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh cross it. The expressway is a part of Bharatmala, an infrastructure development project funded by the Government of India. The route is expected to open in March 2024.