Raipur-Vizag Economic Corridor gains momentum

Visakhapatnam: The scheduled completion of key packages under the six-lane expressway to ensure hassle/signal-free and smooth flow of traffic for faster evacuation of cargo as part of Raipur-Visakhapatnam Economic Corridor will not only propel industrial growth but also give scope for hefty increase in realty prices.

The speed on laying of road on Andhra Pradesh side from Aluru in Parvathipuram Manyam district to Sabbavaram in Anakapalle district near here over a stretch of 100 km is being taken up by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) at a cost of Rs 3,750 crore.

The corridor will cover a stretch of 124 km in Chhattisgarh and 262 km in Odisha. It will be part of NH 30 from Durg in Chhattisgarh to NH 30 and NH 130C to NH 26 traversing through three States on the East Coast.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi who laid the stone for AP side of the corridor in Visakhapatnam recently said the greenfield project taken up under the Bharatmala Pariyojana First Phase will promote trade, speed up cargo movement reducing logistics cost thereby increasing exports significantly.

Four packages under the project falling on AP side are being finalised with a deadline fixed to complete them by end of 2024. The total project from Raipur to Visakhapatnam with a length of nearly 500 km is envisaged in 11 packages with route alignment through Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh at a cost of Rs 20,000 crore.

The project is being launched under Hybrid Annuity Mode. Along with small economic corridors, feeder routes are also proposed in the Detailed Project Report (DPR).

"The project once completed will lead to faster evacuation of cargo, a long pending demand from the trade and industry. We need more such corridors for reducing travel time with seamless last mile connectivity," G Sambasiva Rao, Managing Director of Sravan Shipping Services, told Bizz Buzz.

According to the DPR, the distance from Raipur to Sabbavaram on the outskirts of Visakhapatnam will be cut short from 590 km to 464 km thereby pegging the travel time from 14 hours to just seven hours. The travel speed which is at present 40 kmph will go up to 100 kmph. It will ensure cut in maintenance cost of vehicles.

Incidentally, the Raipur-Visakhapatnam Economic Corridor will become part of Kolkata-Kanyakumari East Economic Corridor.