A huge infrastructural project to develop the congested Ahmedabad-Mehsana highway into an eight-lane highway has been approved by the Gujarat government, which is expected to cost 2,630 crores. It has been estimated that the decision will cause a lot of congestion on one of the most used transport routes in the state and enhance the road accessibility throughout North Gujarat.
The project, according to the officials, will aim at increasing the current four-lane stretch that connects Adalaj near Ahmedabad to Palavasna Circle in Mehsana. Over the years, highway traffic has been on a consistent increase owing to the accelerated urbanization, industry, and the daily commuting that is witnessed between the major towns and villages along the highway. Delays and congestion in travel are now the norm, with over a lakh vehicles utilizing the corridor daily.
According to the accepted plan, the main carriageway will be widened to eight lanes, with service roads on each side being provided to separate the high-speed and local traffic. This is likely to positively affect the traffic and improve the flow of traffic by commuters, mass transit and heavy transport. Another major project feature is the development of an elevated highway that will pass over the city of Kalol, which will avoid traffic jams in the city and also enhance the time taken by motorists travelling long distances.
It is also anticipated that a number of villages and semi-urban territories along the highway will enjoy the positive outcome of the expansion. Better access will increase economic activity within Mehsana and Gandhinagar, along with their vicinity, and farmers, traders, and other small businesses will be able to transport their goods to the big markets in Ahmedabad and beyond. The project will also benefit the regional businesses and logistics infrastructure by offering better and faster road connectivity.
The plan will involve construction and maintenance of flyovers, underpasses and cross-structures in main junctions, in addition to widening the main road. These would be to minimize the intersections where accidents occur and make the traffic flow at the busy crossings better. According to the officials, acquisition procedures of the environment and land will be conducted according to the set guidelines to reduce the disruption of local communities.
This tendering process should start in the near future, and the project will probably be accomplished in a staged manner and take up to two years. The eight-lane highway will, when operational, reduce the commuting time in Ahmedabad and Mehsana by a great margin and make commuting fun.
The growth can be associated with the overall interest of the state government to enhance road infrastructure and buttress the economy with better regional connectivity. The announcement has been received positively by the residents and commuters as they see it as a long-term investment in mobility, safety and development of North Gujarat.
