Ahmedabad-Rajkot NH six-lane expansion nears completion with 98 pc work done

Gandhinagar, March 17 (IANS) In a statement made in the Assembly on Monday, Minister of State for Cooperation, Jagdish Vishwakarma, announced that the Gujarat government will invest ₹3,350 crore to expand the Ahmedabad-Rajkot National Highway into a six-lane one.

The project covers a total length of 201.33 kms, with work on 197 kms being undertaken in the first phase.

Of this, 193 kms, i.e. 98 per cent of the work has already been completed.

The Minister highlighted that once the six-lane expansion is complete, the travel time between Ahmedabad and Rajkot will be reduced to two hours and 32 minutes, saving approximately 30 to 45 minutes.

This improvement is also expected to cut vehicle fuel consumption by 10 to 15 per cent.

The project includes the construction of 38 flyover-underpass structures, 34 of which have been completed, while work on the remaining four is ongoing.

Furthermore, the Minister noted that the expansion has significantly improved road safety. The number of accidents at black spots — locations with frequent mishaps — has decreased by approximately 41 per cent over the past three years compared to 2019.

Out of the initial 34 black spots, 31 have been addressed, with the remaining three set to be resolved soon.

Gujarat has a major road network comprising over 102 National Highways and 50 state highways covering a total length of approximately 63,000 kms.

Key National Highways include the Ahmedabad-Vadodara Expressway, the Surat-Hazira Highway, and the Vadodara-Mumbai Expressway.

The state’s strategic location as an industrial and trade hub necessitates efficient road connectivity. The government has heavily invested in infrastructure development, including the recent ₹3,350 crore Ahmedabad-Rajkot six-lane expansion.

The state government has allocated ₹2 lakh crore for infrastructure development over the next five years.

Notable projects include the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC), the Bharatmala Project, and the Vadodara-Mumbai Expressway.

Gujarat is also developing a 1,600-km-long coastal highway to boost connectivity between ports and industrial hubs.

The Golden Quadrilateral, which passes through Gujarat, plays a crucial role in connecting major cities like Ahmedabad, Surat, and Vadodara.

Additionally, the state is investing in smart highway systems, including Intelligent traffic management, automated toll collection, and real-time monitoring to enhance efficiency and safety.

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