The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has taken over the construction of two major expressway projects in Rajasthan—Jaipur-to-Pachpadra and Bikaner-to-Kotputli—which were originally proposed by a state government agency following the previous budget announcement.

Officials explained that both corridors were identified as highly viable due to the substantial traffic volumes they already handle. The Jaipur-to-Pachpadra greenfield expressway, spanning approximately 350 km, was initially planned at an estimated cost of ₹11,492 crore and was set to pass through Kishangarh, Ajmer, and Jodhpur. Similarly, the 295-km Bikaner-to-Kotputli expressway was expected to cost around Rs 108.39 billion. Both projects have now officially been handed over to NHAI for execution.

These two highways are part of nine newly introduced expressway projects. The Jaipur-to-Pachpadra route had already been transferred to the national authority, and the Bikaner-to-Kotputli corridor has now also been added to its scope.

Regarding the Bikaner-to-Kotputli expressway, the official noted that while the new route would reduce the distance by only 45 km, it would significantly cut travel time—from the current six hours to just three—due to higher permissible vehicle speeds on the expressway. Additionally, it is expected to enhance connectivity to major urban centres such as Noida, Gurugram, Delhi, and Agra–Mathura. The existing route between Bikaner and Kotputli spans around 340 km and takes roughly six hours to traverse.

Another official pointed out that the direct Jaipur-to-Pachpadra connection would also shorten travel time. The current route covers about 426 km and takes around 7.5 hours, which is expected to reduce significantly with the completion of the new expressway.

News source: MSN