NHAI begins preparation for report on Amaravati ORR with 150 meters width
NHAI has initiated preparations for a report on the Amaravati Outer Ring Road (ORR), with central authorities considering a wider right‑of‑way—initially up to 150 m—for future expansions and rail corridor integration, though current approvals limit it to 140 m in line with technical advice.
NHAI begins preparation for report on Amaravati ORR with 150 meters width
Land acquisition for taking up work on the Outer Ring Road (ORR) project connecting Amaravati, the 'people's capital' of Andhra Pradesh is expected to cost around Rs.5,000 crore.
National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) is at present has launched an exercise for preparation of a report with a road width of 140 mts as decided by Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, after insistence by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu at a crucial meeting in March. Once completed, the report will be placed before the Union Cabinet for approval. As per the latest plan, NHAI will take up work on 189-km ORR with at least 10 packages more or less on the tlines of ORR in Hyderabad which linking the Shamshabad Airport.
The Amaravati ORR proposed by Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) will connect Guntur, Krishna, Eluru,NTR and Palnadu districts and Guntur-Tenali-Vuyyuru-Amaravati urban conglomeration under the Phase-VII of National Highway Development Project. The ORR will pass through 23 mandals and as many as 121 villages representing five districts, raising tremendous enthusiasm among the locals on the possible boom it will have in realty prices.
During the recent meeting of Naidu-Gadgari, the former stressed the need to complete the report on the revised ORR on a fast-track basis as the first phase of capital development works are being taken up aggressively after Amaravati Restart was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 2. The first phase is scheduled to be completed in 2028.
After the Naidu-Gadkari meeting with the assurance by the AP Chief Minister that the additional cost due to doubling of the width from 70 to 140 meters in view of the future projections will be borne by the State Government, the Ministry of Roads Transport and Highways has asked the Alignment Approval Committee to do the needful. The technical advisory committee of the ministry, which earlier insisted on 70 meters width, has also been convinced by the State Government on the need to change it to 140 meters as Amaravati is projected to be developed as one of the best cities to live in in the world.
The 189-km-long ORR will have a six lane access-controlled expressway for hassle-free travel to Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Chennai with service roads and linking Amaravati with the surrounding regions. Bypass roads on both sides with subways and an elevated freight corridor will help ease the traffic. movement.
The Centre had earlier estimated the cost of land acquisition for 70 meters width ORR at Rs.2,665 crore. With Naidu bent upon increasing it to 150 meters, finally the ministry concerned agreed to consider 140 meters width provided the State absorbs the additional cost due to doubling of the width and change in alignments resulting in additional land acquisition cost.
