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The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has signed a Concession Agreement for its first major BOT (Build-Operate-Transfer) contract under the National Highways Development Project (NHDP)—Phase III A for four-laning the Meerut-Muzaffarnagar Section of NH-58 in Uttar Pradesh.
The 4-laning of this high-traffic density 78.31 km stretch (km 52.250-131) is expected to be completed in 36 months at a cost of nearly Rs. 360 crores.
The Concessionaire M/s. Western UP Tollway Ltd. has been given a grant of Rs. 127.8 crore for a concession period of 20 years (including construction period of 36 months).
Presently, the Meerut-Muzaffarnagar Section is mostly two lane except for isolated 4-lane reaches aggregating about 6 km. On completion, this 78.31 km stretch, being built on BOT basis, would be a 4-lane road with paved shoulders. In addition, it would have 5.5 metre wide service roads on either side in town and villages through which the highway is passing. It would also have two major bridges (on Khatauli bypass), three Railway over bridges (on Meerut bypass, Skoti Tanda and Muzaffarnagar bypass), one flyover (at the end of Meerut bypass). Seven underpasses, four truck lay-bys and one Rest Area (on Khatauli bypass) are some of the other salient features of the proposed four-lane highway.
This is the second Concession Agreement signed under NHDP-Phase III A. In July ‘05, a Concession Agreement was signed for constructing the 12 km Guna Bypass in Madhya Pradesh on BOT basis.
It may be recalled that in March ‘05 the Government approved upgradation and four-laning of 4000 km of National Highways on BOT basis under NHDP Phase-III A at an estimated cost of Rs. 22,000 crores (2004 prices). The Government also approved preparation of DPRs (Detailed Project Reports) for another 6000 km under NHDP-Phase III, taking the total to 10, 000 km under this Phase. The objective is to 4-lane high density traffic corridors not covered by by NHDP Phase-I (mainly the Golden Quadrilateral) and NHDP Phase-II (North-South and East-West corridors), connect state capitals with Phase I and Phase II and link centers of tourism and places of economic importance.
VBA/BS
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