Four-laning of Ambala-Kaithal stretch to begin in October

Suman Bhatnagar

Ambala, August 9

The 95.36-km four-laning project of the Ambala-Kaithal section of NH-65 will be launched in October after the harvesting of paddy. The project will complete in 30 months. Union Road and Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari had laid the foundation stone of the project last month in Saha village (Ambala).

National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) sources said the contract for the project worth Rs 813.73 crore had been allotted to three construction companies of Gujarat and Rajasthan. Dilip Buildcon Ltd and Varaha Infra Ltd will jointly undertake the project up to 50.86 km, while Sabhav Engineering Ltd will complete the remaining stretch. A joint team of the Environment, Forest and Revenue Department has already examined the site and an NoC will be issued by next month.

At least 421 hectares in the state and 17 hectare of the Punjab areas have already been acquired for widening the present highway. The NHAI has issued Rs 368 crore to the state revenue department for the acquisition of land.

The construction will be done on engineering procurement construction (EPC) basis. Under an EPC contract, the contractor designs the installation, procures the necessary materials and builds the project, either directly or by subcontracting the work.

Two toll plazas will also be set up at Kaithal and Ismailabad. Four bypasses have been proposed at major habitations of Ambala, Ismilabad, Pehowa and Kaithal. Thousands of trees are to be axed for the project.

Under the proposed design, the existing right of ways from 30m will be widened to 60 m, three ROBs, four major bridges, 26 minor bridges and 130 culverts, four flyovers, six underpass and 57 bus bays are also to be constructed. Vipin Sharma, project director, NHAI, said most of the formalities of the project had been completed.