NHAI invites bids to widen Nagpur-Bhandara stretch of NH-53 to six lanes at Rs 2,553.8 crore
The 42-km four-lane section of National Highway 53 will be widened to six lanes, with bids invited until November 26.
There is good news for people who travel daily between Nagpur and Bhandara. The Nagpur-Bhandara section of National Highway 53 is 42 km long. It is currently four lanes, but it will now be widened to six.
An amount of Rs 2,553.8 crore has been proposed for the widening project. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has issued an official tender notice for the work. Under the notice, companies have been asked to submit bids by November 26.
The four-lane highway currently carries very heavy traffic. Heavy trucks cause traffic jams here regularly, and dangerous overtaking is also a persistent problem.
Six lanes will bring a major saving in travel time. Fuel consumption will also fall, and trade in the area will get a fresh push. Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari had also assured that the work would be completed soon.
The project had been delayed because the contractor to whom the work was earlier assigned abandoned it. Construction will now begin directly, without any additional land acquisition.
Meanwhile, local residents and motorists have voiced concern over the present poor condition of the road. They say the highway is full of potholes despite heavy toll collection, which keeps the risk of accidents high.
People have demanded that special attention be paid to the quality of the road in the new construction, so that travellers do not have to face the same trouble in future.
