The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved the rehabilitation and upgrade of the Ghoti–Trimbak (Mokhada)–Jawhar–Manor–Palghar stretch of National Highway-160A in Maharashtra, with a total investment of Rs 3,320.38 crore. The 154.635-km project will be implemented under the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) model. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) noted that the region west of Nashik, including Ambad and Satpur, is home to a major cluster of industrial units set up by the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation, resulting in heavy freight movement.
The project aligns with PM GatiShakti objectives and is expected to improve connectivity to six economic nodes, one social node, and eight logistics nodes in Maharashtra, strengthening the country’s logistics efficiency and boosting its Logistics Performance Index.
In Gujarat, the CCEA has approved the construction of four-lane stretches between Dhamasiya–Bitada/Movi and Nasarpore–Malotha at a cost of Rs 4,583.64 crore. The 107.67-km project forms part of NH-56, which begins in Nimbahera, Rajasthan, passes through Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat, and connects to NH-48 near Vapi. Designed for a top speed of 100 km/h and an average speed of 70 km/h, the project is expected to reduce travel time by about 40%, cutting the journey from 2.5 hours to around 1.5 hours.
Meanwhile, in Telangana, the CCEA has approved the widening of the Gudebellur–Mahabubnagar section of NH-167 on the Hyderabad–Panaji Economic Corridor. The 80.01-km project, with an investment of Rs 3,175.08 crore, will be developed to four-lane standards under the Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM) as part of the National Highways (Original) scheme. The upgrade is expected to ease congestion and significantly improve connectivity in the Narayanpet and Mahabubnagar districts.