Road travel between Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh is set to become shorter and faster as work progresses on the Bengaluru-Kadapa-Vijayawada Economic Corridor (NH-544G). The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) also marked an excavation breakthrough in a 3.68 km-long tunnel under Package-9 of the project this week.
The tunnel is being constructed between Porumamilla in the YSR Kadapa district and Sitaramapuram in the SPSR Nellore district in Andhra Pradesh. It will directly interlink the two portals, helping motorists avoid the existing longer route.
As per the official release, the wider corridor will reduce the Bengaluru-Vijayawada travel distance by 110 km and save 3-4 hours of travel time.
Bengaluru-Vijaywada corridor: Key details
Corridor: 343 km, six-lane and access-controlled
Project cost: Rs 1,092.18 crore
Package-9 tunnel: 3.68 km
Travel benefit: 110 km shorter, saves 3-4 hours
How will the new tunnel help travellers?
NHAI stated the 3.68 km tunnel will directly connect its two portals, avoiding the existing longer route and reducing the travel distance by around 17 km on this stretch. The Package-9 project has an estimated cost of Rs 1,092.18 crore and is expected to be completed by mid-2027.
Highlighting the wider benefit for motorists, NHAI stated the corridor will “reduce the Bengaluru-Vijayawada travel distance by 110 km, save 3-4 hours of travel time.”
Better connectivity to NH-44 and NH-16
The project is also expected to enhance connectivity with other major highways. As per NHAI, the corridor will “improve connectivity with NH-44 and NH-16” and provide direct access to the Hindupur and Kopparthi industrial nodes.
What will the 343-km corridor offer?
As per the PIB, the Bengaluru-Kadapa-Vijayawada Economic Corridor is a 343-km long access-controlled six-lane highway, designed for safe, high-speed and scenic travel.
It will include 17 interchanges and 10 wayside amenities, along with 5.3 km of tunnel stretches. Around 21 km of the corridor passes through forest area.
Once completed, the highway is expected to boost connectivity between Bengaluru and Vijaywada and enhance links between the Rayalaseema region and the coastal and northern regions of Andhra Pradesh.
Corridor construction creates Guinness World Records
The project has already bagged Guinness World Records during the construction process.
NHAI and concessionaire Rajpath Infracon Private Limited marked records for laying 28.89 lane km of Bituminous Concrete in 24 hours and 10, 655 metric tones of Bituminous Concrete in 24 hours on January 6 this year.
Two records followed on January 11 for continuous laying of 57,500 metric tonnes of Bituminous Concrete and continuous laying of 156 lane km. These works were executed across Package-2 and Package-3.