Raipur-Vizag corridor set to change economics on the East
The corridor will also promote tourism and stimulate economic growth through job creation and real estate development
image for illustrative purpose
Vijayawada: The upcoming Raipur Visakhapatnam Economic Corridor feels like a long-awaited answer for the many people whose livelihoods depend on the route between these two cities.
The Raipur Visakhapatnam Economic Corridor, being developed by the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, stretches across the forests of Chhattisgarh, mineral-rich landscapes of Odisha and hills of Andhra Pradesh.
According to a Government of India release, the corridor is being built at a total cost of Rs16,482 crore and is expected to be completed by December 2026. It is set to cut down the distance from 597 km with the existing NH-26 to 465 km — saving 132 km in distance and nearly seven hours of travel time.
This will generate major fuel savings, reduced transportation costs for public and freight operators.
What once took 12 hours will soon just take just 5 hours and will open the gates to faster logistics and seamless connectivity under the PM Gati Shakti vision. Industries in Chhattisgarh and Odisha too will get a major boost as they will directly be linked to the Visakhapatnam Port and the Chennai-Kolkata National Highway. This would mean improved connectivity to ports and industrial hubs, quicker exports, smoother supply chains and a powerful push for trade, leading to a huge boost for logistics efficiency.
The corridor will also promote tourism and stimulate economic growth through job creation and real estate development.
The 6-lane Greenfield Corridor links Chhattisgarh, Odisha & Andhra Pradesh
It’s a 465-kilometre-long National Highway and will help save 7 hours & 132 Kms of distance. It will be open to the public in FY 2026-27 and expected to provide faster access for tribal & remote regions.
For truckers who spend nights away from home, farmers who anxiously wait for their produce to reach markets and families seeking avenues of new opportunities, this corridor feels like a path towards a more hopeful future.
Vishal, a lorry owner who regularly sends goods from Raipur to Visakhapatnam, says the new corridor will drastically change the way transporters operate. “Earlier, the journey took one-and-a-half days. Now, I can start during the day and reach the destination by night,” he says.
Farmers are also experiencing a clear shift in their economic outlook. One farmer explains how land prices have surged ever since the greenfield highway project began. "Our land was valued at around Rs15 lakh per acre earlier. Now it is close to Rs1.5 crore. Farmers here are genuinely happy," he says, pointing to how connectivity-led development is reshaping rural prospects.
A Vizianagaram resident said: "We are farmers. At first, we felt sad to give our land for the greenfield highway. It was not easy. But now, as the corridor is getting ready, we feel hopeful. Our land value has more than doubled, and we know this development will bring more opportunities for our families. What we lost is now turning into a better future."
Srinivasulu, another farmer living in Jami village of Vizianagaram district, said that "the value of the remaining land has significantly increased. Villagers and farmers of the village are feeling happy about this upcoming greenfield highway".
