NHAI expedites ₹1,716-cr Ludhiana-Bathinda NH project

The National Highway Authority of India has fast-tracked the Ludhiana-Bathinda NH project wherein one of the two parts to the six-lane Ludhiana-Bathinda NH has received the lowest bid of ₹981-crore. A total of 13 construction companies have evinced interest to undertake package-I of the project with a length of 30.3 km on the southern end. NHAI had invited tenders for construction of the project in January with a two-year deadline.

The project entails six-laning of 75.543-km length of the highway 754-AD costing ₹1,716.17 crore. The part of the Ludhiana-Ajmer economic corridor (EC-8) will be completed in 24 months under the Bharatmala Pariyojana Phase 1. Following the technical evaluation of the bids received for both packages, the financial bids of the technically qualified bidders will be opened to allot the work to the lowest bidder.

Deputy Commissioner, Varinder Kumar Sharma, informed that the land acquisition of 525.19 hectares is almost completed and the remaining portion will be completed shortly. The widening and strengthening of the highway were being undertaken by NHAI in two parts under the hybrid annuity model (HAM). The first component of the NH-754-AD will comprise 30.3-km while the second part will run into a 45.243-km stretch. The new Ludhiana-Bathinda expressway will pass through 36 villages in three districts of Ludhiana under Ludhiana and Rajkot tehsils, Barnala under Barnala and Tapa tehsils, and Rampura Phul tehsil in Bathinda.