Kharagpur to Vizag in just 8 hours: DPRs invited for expressway

Visakhapatnam to Kharagpur in just 8 hours: DPRs invited for expressway

As per the Bharatmala Pariyojana programme launched by the Central Government, the road ministry previously identified 20 high-speed corridors that would be be approved by the Union Government by December 2024. A key corridor in this list is the 783 km long Kharagpur –Cuttack – Visakhapatnam (Vizag) Expressway.

As per the latest reported update, this project is presently progressing steadily, with 10 firms having submitted bids to prepare Detailed Project Reports (DPRs). MoRTH (Ministry of Road Transport and Highways) opened the technical bids for the project on 5 November 2024.

MoRTH invited tenders in June 2024, with a deadline of 1.5 years for completion. A total of 18 bids were received—10 for Package 1 and 8 for Package 2.

The next step involves a detailed technical evaluation of the bids, which may take a couple of months. Afterward, the financial bids of the technically qualified consultants will be opened, determining the lowest bidder for each package.

If contracts are awarded in the first half of 2025, MoRTH expects the DPRs to be completed by the end of 2026. Following the approval process, land acquisition, and necessary clearances, construction is expected to begin no sooner than 2028.

This expressway, once completed, will significantly enhance connectivity between Kharagpur and Vizag. Along with it, other key expressways planned for the country include the Jamnagar–Bhavnagar–Bharuch Expressway (Packages 3 & 4, Gwalior–Jhansi–Sagar–Lakhnadon Expressway (Packages 5 & 6), Bangalore–Mangalore Expressway (Package 7), Gangtok–Siliguri Expressway (Package 8).About the Kharagpur – Cuttack – Visakhapatnam Expressway

This is a 783 km, 4-6 lane greenfield access-controlled expressway, which will run across West Bengal, Odisha, and Andhra Pradesh, closely paralleling National Highway NH-16. The project will dramatically reduce travel time between Kharagpur and Vizag, cutting the journey from 14 hours to just 8.

The expressway has been divided into two packages: