Raipur–Visakhapatnam Expressway

Raipur–Visakhapatnam Expressway (NH-130CD), part of Raipur–Visakhapatnam Economic Corridor (EC-15), is a planned greenfield, access-controlled, 464-kilometre (288 mi) long, 6-lane expressway through Red corridor in Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh states of central and east-central India. From Durg, it runs between NH-30 and NH-130C till Boriguma, then runs east of NH-26 till Sunabeda and then west of NH-26 till Visakhapatnam (Vizianagaram). Along the way it connects Raipur, Kurud, Dhamtari, Kanker, Kondagaon, Koraput, and Sabbavaram before terminating at Visakhapatnam Port.^[1]

It is part of Bharatmala Pariyojana and it connects to East Coast Economic Corridor (Kolkata to Kanyakumari) at Vizianagaram. Sequentially interconnected existing NH-30-NH-34-NH-539-NH-44-Yamuna Expressway connect Raipur to central and north India such as Delhi, Agra, Gwalior, Jhansi, Damoh, and Jabalpur.

Route[]

Chhattisgarh[]

In Chhattisgarh state it passes through 4 southeastern districts between NH-30 and NH-130C:^[1]

• Raipur district
  • Raipur (south of), begins at Abhanpur on intersection of NH-30, NH-130C and SH-22.
• Dhamtari district
• Kanker district
  • Kanker (northeast of), passes near Naharpur
  • Kanker (immediate east of), passes through on SH-6 Kanker- Road.
• Kondagaon district
  • Keskal (east of)
  • (immediate west of Kundel), enters Odisha here

Odisha[]

In Odisha state it passes through 2 southwestern-most districts on eastern and western side of NH-26 in Nabarangpur and Koraput districts respectively:^[1]

• Nabarangpur district, runs along the eastern side of NH-26.
  • , enters Odisha here.
  • (west of)
  • Umerkote (west of)
  • (west of)
  • Papadahandi (west of)
  • Nowrangpur (Nabarangpur) (west of)
• Koraput district, runs along the western side of NH-26.
  • Kotpad (east of)
  • , moves from west to east side of NH-26.
  • Borigumma (east of)
  • (immediate east of)
  • Koraput (immediate east of)
  • Sunabeda (immediate east of), south of Sunabeda it moves from east to west side of NH-26.
  • Pottangi
  • on the border of Odisha-Andhra Pradesh, exits Odisha and enters Andhra Pradesh.

Andhra Pradesh[]

In Andhra Pradesh state is passes only through 1 district in northeast Andhra Pradesh on the western side of NH-26:^[1]

• Vizianagaram district
  • Salur (west of)
  • Gajapathinagaram (west of)
  • Vizianagaram (west of)
  • Vizianagaram (west of)
  • between Sabbavaram-Anandapuram, terminates here on SH-9 Anakapalle-Rajapulova Road.

Proposed future connectivity[]

Following additional connectivity has been proposed by constructing new links.

NCR CMC hubs of Bhatinda-Hisar-Jaipur-Gwalior[]

There is another proposal to link this corridor to northwestern India by a combination of constructing greenfield stretches and upgrading existing roads through National Capital Region's Counter Magnet Cities (NCR CMC) of Bhatinda-Hisar-Jaipur (via Karauli)-Gwalior. This requires the construction of a road-cum-rail bridge over the Chambal River between Karauli- and/or -Joura.

• Connect to Bhatinda to connect to Pathankot–Ajmer Expressway and Amritsar–Jamnagar Expressway.
• Bhatinda-Hisar: Greenfield alignment from Bhatinda - Kullan (between Ratia and Tohana) - between Bhuna and Uklanamandi - between Agroha and Barwala, between Barwala and Hansi, intersect with Trans–Haryana Expressway near Mundhal Khurd and Meham. As an independent project, it will continue to NH-9, Kalanaur, north of Beri, Western Peripheral Expressway and Bahadurgarh.
• Hisar-Pilani-Jhunjhunu : Upgrade of Hisar (elevated from railway over-bridge near Mangali to Camp Chowk, Jat College and Thandi Sadak over-bridge)-Mangali-Saharwa (with a greenfield Siwani-Sahrwa-Dobeta-Kanwari-Bawani Khera spur ). Greenfield alignment from Sharwa to Bidhwan-Bahal to Norangpura (west of Pilani) to Baragaon (south of Jhunjuhunu on Rajasthan SH-32).
• Jhunjhunu-Jaipur: greenfield Baragaon-Raghunathpura, upgrade existing from Raghunathpura-Udaipurwati-Kotri Luharwas, greenfield from Kotri Luharwas to Khandela Mod bus stand, upgrade existing route from Khandela Mod bus stand to Srimadhopur-Reengus to connect it to NH-52. From there greenfield alignment to Tonk via Reengus-Hasteda-Gori Ka Bas-Lalpura-Bagru-Phagi-Galod-Tonk resulting in direct access to another NCR CMS city of Kota.
• Chambal River, this requires the construction of a greenfield highway and a road-cum-rail bridge over the Chambal River between Karauli-Taintara and/or Sirmathura-Joura with 2 spurs on eastern flank of Chambal - one each to connect to Gwalior and Datia.

NCR CMG hubs of Ludhiana-Patiala-Ambala-Narnaul-Alwar-[]

There is another proposal to link this corridor to Trans–Haryana Expressway and beyond to Delhi–Amritsar–Katra Expressway, Delhi–Mumbai Expressway and Delhi–Mumbai Industrial Corridor Project by a combination of constructing greenfield stretches and upgrading existing roads through Narnaul-Alwar-Karauli-Mohana-Datia (and/or Gwalior). Detailed routes will see the upgrade of existing State Highways (SH) to National Highways (NH) such as:

• Rajasthan SH-14 Narnaul-Alwar-Mathura highway, with whole route between narnaul and Mathura to be upgraded for economic corridor and religious Krishna Yatra Circuit.
• Rajasthan SH-25, Alwar-Rajgarh portion to be upgraded.
• Dalalpura/Machari to Berkhera-Mahwa, greenfield alignment, alternatively the longer existing Rajasthan SH-35 Rajgarh-Mahwa portion can be upgraded.
• Rajasthan SH-22, Mahwa-Hindon-Karauli portion to be upgraded.
• Chambal River, this requires the construction of a greenfield highway and a road-cum-rail bridge over the Chambal River between Karauli-Taintara and/or Sirmathura-Joura with 2 spurs on eastern flank of Chambal - one each to connect to Gwalior and Datia.

Eastern Economic Corridor[]

There is a proposal to connect it to Eastern Economic Corridor (Paradeep in Odisha to Raxaul on Bihar-Nepal border) by constructing either a spur or a loop in Chhattisgarh.

Status updates[]

• Feb 2020: The expressway was added to Bharatmala Pariyojana and approved.^[2]
• Aug 2020: The target date for completion of expressway is set as March 2024.^[3]
• Mar 2021: Detailed Project Report (DPR) completed.^[4]
• Apr 2021: Tendering process ongoing.^[5]
• Oct 2021: HG Infra wins 2 packages in Odisha worth over ₹ 2,297 crores for developing the 44 km long, six-lane Kaliagura-Baunsaguar section in Odisha.

See also[]

• Expressways of India
• Industrial corridor
• Eastern Economic Corridor (India)
• East Coast Economic Corridor

References[]