GUWAHATI: To boost infrastructure development in the North-East, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has finalised a concession agreement with M/s Dineshchandra R Agrawal Infracon Pvt. Ltd. for constructing the Guwahati Ring Road. The agreement, signed in the presence of NHAI Chairman Santosh Kumar Yadav and senior officials, marks a key step towards enhancing regional connectivity.
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The 121-km Guwahati Ring Road will be developed under the Build-Operate-Toll (BOT) model, with no government grant, at an estimated cost of ₹5,729 crore. The total project cost is projected to be around ₹7,000 crore, including contributions from the Assam State Government, which has committed ₹1,270 crore by covering 50% of land acquisition costs and offering exemptions on aggregate royalties and state GST. The project is expected to be completed within a four-year construction period, followed by a 30-year concession period for toll collection.
Key Features of the Project
The Guwahati Ring Road will include:
-A 56-km, four-lane access-controlled Northern Guwahati Bypass
-Expansion of an existing 8-km stretch of NH-27 from four to six lanes
-Upgradation of a 58-km section of NH-27 bypass
-Construction of a 3-km-long major bridge over the Brahmaputra River
Once completed, the project will:
-Improve traffic flow along the East-West Corridor of NH-27, a crucial gateway to the North-East.
-Reduce congestion in Guwahati by diverting heavy vehicles from West Bengal and Bihar towards Silchar, Nagaland, and Tripura.
-Enhance connectivity to key cities such as Siliguri, Silchar, Shillong, Jorhat, Tezpur, Jogigopha, and Barpeta, promoting regional economic growth.
The Government of India has been actively encouraging Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) in highway projects, particularly under the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) model. This agreement is the first to be signed under the revised Model Concession Agreement (MCA), paving the way for more BOT-based infrastructure projects in the future.
The Guwahati Ring Road aligns with Vision 2047, which aims to develop high-speed road corridors across the country.
