Planning is underway in India on key highway projects in the states of Gujarat and Rajasthan as well as a new link to connect the latter to capital Delhi. Projects have been put forward to build two expressways linking Delhi to Chandigarh and Jaipur. The work is expected to cost up to US$2.89 billion. Each expressway will measure some 250km in all. The country is also working on plans for Phase IV of the National Highways Development Project, which envisages expressways extending a total of 10,000km being constructed. Meanwhile two large highway development projects in India have been approved. One is for the 89km upgrade of the NH12 Kota-Teendhar in Rajasthan, which will be widened with two lanes in either direction. The other is for the 102km upgrade of NH8 Ahmedabad-Vadodara in Gujarat, which will be widened to feature three lanes in either direction. The Kota-Teendhar highway project is expected to cost $131.5 million and will be offered under a 25 year concession, including a 30 month construction window. The Ahmedabad-Vadodara project will also be offered under a 25 year concession and is expected to take 36 months to build, with a cost of $575 million. Both the NH12 and NH8 projects will be built under a design, build, finance, operate and transfer basis.
