Page 66 - Construction_Opportunities_February_2026

11 and final safety clearances are scheduled for late April.
th
TICKER TAPE
INFRASTRUCTURE engage a consultant for preparing the DPR and expect to finalise The urgency of the project was highlighted by a major accident
ANNIVERSARY
ED ITION
ED
ITION
ED
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“The project is currently at an initial stage. We invited bids to
in early February, when a tanker carrying highly inflammable
the agency this month. The exact alignment, starting point of
propylene gas overturned near Khopoli, causing a 32-hour traffic
the Farrukhnagar bypass, and other technical details will be
suspension. The incident resulted in 20-km-long queues and
determined during the DPR stage after examining feasibility and
left thousands of commuters stranded without food or water,
traffic projections,” said an NHAI official.
prompting renewed calls to expedite the missing link to provide
Currently, the stretch between Wazirpur and Farrukhnagar is a two-
lane road that connects the state highway at Farrukhnagar before
joining NH 352. Once completed, the corridor will provide seamless
Khopoli to Kusgaon, bypasses the steep, winding Khandala-
connectivity between Jhajjar and the Dwarka Expressway via NH a safer alternative route. The `6,695-crore project, connecting
Lonavala ghat section, a chronic bottleneck. By shortening the
352 and NH 352W, linking western Haryana and Delhi without existing 19.8-km stretch by over 6 km, the link is expected to cut
relying solely on the Delhi–Jaipur highway. travel time between Mumbai and Pune by 25–30 minutes.
Separately, NHAI is also upgrading the 43-km Gurgaon–Pataudi– The corridor begins with a 900-metre viaduct at Khopoli, rising
Rewari (NH-352W) highway at an estimated cost of `900 crore. about 60 metres above ground, followed by a 1.64-km tunnel.
Officials said the project is nearing completion and will be partially It then crosses Tiger Valley via a 650-metre cable-stayed
opened soon, with full completion expected by June. bridge supported by two 180-metre pylons, India’s tallest road
Last month, NHAI began girder launching at the Dwarka Expressway cable-stayed bridge, executed by Afcons Infrastructure Ltd. The
interchange for a unidirectional flyover that will directly connect alignment then enters a nearly 9-km tunnel, emerging at Kusgaon
vehicles from Delhi to Pataudi and Rewari. Once operational, on the Pune side. The new four-lane corridor adds an extra lane
the upgraded corridor is expected to improve travel between compared to the existing ghat stretch.
Gurgaon, southern Haryana, and Rajasthan, while easing traffic Highway authorities expect a significant shift in traffic patterns
on the Delhi–Jaipur Expressway. It will also provide faster access once the missing link opens. “Light motor vehicles, which make
for industrial hubs such as Manesar, Bilaspur, and Dharuhera, up a large share of expressway traffic, are expected to move to
facilitating smoother movement for commuters and freight. the new alignment,” said a highway police official. “Commuters
The foundation stone for the Gurgaon–Pataudi–Rewari project from Pune to Mumbai will likely benefit the most, as they will no
was laid in July 2020 by Union Road Transport and Highways longer be stuck behind heavy trucks on uphill ghat stretches.”
Minister Nitin Gadkari. Though initially scheduled for completion Beyond daily commuting, the missing link will also serve as a vital
by December 2022, construction began in November 2021 diversion during emergencies, offering a high-speed alternative
with a revised two-year timeline. Delays due to utility shifting, to the old Mumbai–Pune highway.
statutory approvals, and environmental concerns pushed back
the schedule. Work was halted in September 2022 following a MADHYA PRADESH TO GET FOUR-LANE BADNAWAR–
National Green Tribunal intervention over forest clearance issues. TIMARWANI HIGHWAY, CABINET APPROVES `3,839 CRORE.
Petitioners had challenged the compensatory afforestation plan, The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by
arguing that planting trees nearly 300 km away in Panchkula would Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the construction of
not adequately offset green cover lost in the project area. In April a four-lane highway corridor between Badnawar and Timarwani in
2024, the Supreme Court allowed NHAI to resume construction, Madhya Pradesh at an estimated cost of `3,839.42 crore.
directing that compensatory afforestation be undertaken within The project involves developing an 80.45 km stretch of National
the city to mitigate environmental impact. Highway-752D, connecting Badnawar, Petlawad, Thandla, and
Timarwani. Upon completion, the corridor will link Ujjain with the
MUMBAI–PUNE EXPRESSWAY SET TO OPEN MAY 1 AS Timarwani interchange of the Delhi–Mumbai Expressway, reducing
‘MISSING LINK’ HITS 98% COMPLETION. travel time along the route by about one hour.
The long-delayed “missing link” on the Mumbai–Pune Expressway The highway will pass through tribal areas of Dhar and Jhabua
is now 98 per cent complete, with the Maharashtra State Road districts, with parts of Dhar district included under NITI Aayog’s
Development Corporation (MSRDC) targeting an inauguration on Aspirational Blocks Programme. It will feature six major bridges,
May 1, coinciding with Maharashtra Day. 34 minor bridges, and one road under bridge, along with nine
Senior MSRDC officials confirmed that the April 30 deadline for civil vehicle underpasses, 29 light vehicle underpasses, and four small
works remains unchanged. Responding to a starred question in vehicle underpasses.
the legislative assembly last Thursday, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Construction is expected to take 24 months under the hybrid
Shinde stated in a written reply that the revised timeline would be annuity model, with a concession period of 17 years, including
met. He attributed the earlier December delay to geographical two years for construction and 15 years for operation and
and technical challenges but emphasized that the project is now maintenance. Officials said the project will strengthen regional
in its final stages. Shinde added that traffic will be allowed only connectivity, support economic activity, and enhance freight
after all safety standards and load tests are completed. movement in Dhar and Jhabua districts. The existing road operates
MSRDC officials reiterated that there will be no further extensions. as an intermediate-lane stretch with speeds of 20–50 kmph due to
“As of March 3, only about 2 per cent of the work remains. The limited road geometry. The upgraded highway will allow speeds
Pune-bound corridor is already complete, and only six metres are of 80–100 kmph and provide a continuous four-lane link between
pending on the Mumbai-bound side,” an official said. Trial runs Ujjain and the Delhi–Mumbai Expressway.

66 CONSTRUCTION OPPORTUNITIES|FEBRUARY 2026