Ahmedabad–Vadodara Expressway

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Ahmedabad Vadodara Expressway

Mahatma Gandhi Expressway
Route information
Maintained by National Highways Authority of India (NHAI)
Length93.1 km (57.8 mi)
Existed16 August 2004; 20 years ago (16 August 2004)[1]–present
Major junctions
North endAhmedabad
South endVadodara
Location
CountryIndia
StatesGujarat
Major citiesNadiad/Kheda, Anand
Highway system

The Ahmedabad Vadodara Expressway or Mahatma Gandhi Expressway or National Expressway 1 is an expressway connecting the cities of Ahmedabad and Vadodara in the state of Gujarat, India.[2] The 93.1 km (57.8 mi) long[3] expressway reduces the travel time between the two cities[4] from two and a half hours to an hour.[5] It was declared as National Expressway 1 in 1986.[6]

Expressway

The expressway has 2 lanes each side. The expressway opened in 2004.[7] It has two exit loops at Nadiad / Kheda and Anand.[8] In 2009, the National Highways Authority of India announced plans to upgrade the expressway to six lanes.[9] Two-wheeler vehicles of all kinds are forbidden on the expressway.[10] The expressway is fenced to prevent the entry of two wheelers and cattle, along with several underpasses and overbridges to allow vehicles to cross over.[11][12]

History

The expressway was built at a cost of ₹ 475 crore and inaugurated by the then Prime Minister of India, Atal Bihari Vajpayee.[4] In 2009, the Government of Gujarat asked the Government of India to extend the expressway to Mumbai.[13] In 2011, IRB Infra won a bid to upgrade the expressway from four lanes to six lanes with service lanes and collect toll.[14][15] In 2013, it was announced that IRB Infra, which was also upgrading the stretch of the National Highway connecting Ahmedabad and Vadodara as part of the deal, would not collect toll till construction work was completed.[16] The process of upgrading the expressway to six lanes is being done at a cost of ₹ 3300 crore.[17]

Toll rates

Toll will be charged at four points - at Ahmedabad, SP Ring Road Ahmedabad, Nadiad, Anand & Vadodara. A summary table of toll rates is as below:

Vehicle category Ahmedabad to Vadodara Nadiad to Vadodara Nadiad to Ahmedabad Ahmedabad to Anand Anand to Vadodara
Two wheeler Not allowed Not allowed Not allowed Not allowed Not allowed
Car/Jeep/Van 135 75 55 75 55

Safety

A view of Mahatma Gandhi Expressway dedicated to the Nation on 24 August 2004 by Union Minister for Shipping Road Transport & Highways T. R. Baalu at Vadodara

In 2004, it was reported that the road surface quality on certain stretches of the expressway was inferior due to the substandard quality of construction materials used.[18] In 2005, it was reported that a major accident took place on the expressway, resulting in a pileup that involved nine vehicles due to fog.[19] The Ahmedabad-Nadiad stretch is considered the most dangerous, with fatal accidents reported since the opening of the expressway.[20][21] The expressway has been referred to as not accident-prone when compared to the Mumbai–Pune Expressway.[22] GSRTC buses are known to travel slowly on the expressway due to speed limits set prior to the opening of the expressway.[23]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Ahmedabad-Vadodara Expressway inauguration on August 16, 2004". Business Standard.
  2. ^ "Mahatma Gandhi expressway in a bad shape". Business Standard. Ahmedabad. 5 July 2005. Retrieved 2013-07-20.
  3. ^ "Special purpose vehicle for Ahmedabad-Vadodara scheme". The Hindu. New Delhi. 14 October 2000. Archived from the original on 23 July 2013. Retrieved 2013-07-23.
  4. ^ a b "PM to inaugurate Rs 180-cr Ahmedabad expressway". The Hindu. New Delhi. 27 January 2003. Retrieved 2013-07-21.
  5. ^ Bose, Raja (10 June 2004). "Zip from Vadodara to A'bad in an hour". The Times of India. Ahmedabad. Archived from the original on 24 July 2013. Retrieved 2013-07-24.
  6. ^ Notification dated March 13, 1986
  7. ^ Ahmedabad Vadodara Expressway to be ready by March-Source-Business Standard
  8. ^ "Atal dream revs up on Ahmedabad Expressway". The Times of India. Vadodara. 25 May 2004. Archived from the original on 24 July 2013. Retrieved 2013-07-24.
  9. ^ "Ahmedabad-Vadodara expressway to become six lane: NHAI". The Times of India. Vadodara. 2009-02-28. Archived from the original on 2013-01-26. Retrieved 26 May 2012.
  10. ^ Paul John & Kevin Antao (14 October 2009). "No two-wheelers on Expressway? Take that!". The Times of India. Ahmedabad. Archived from the original on 25 January 2014. Retrieved 2013-07-23.
  11. ^ "After VIPs, aam admi stalls Expressway". The Times of India. Ahmedabad. 24 July 2004. Archived from the original on 25 July 2013. Retrieved 2013-07-25.
  12. ^ "Ahmedabad Vadodara Expressway Route Map, Toll Rates, and More - Infra Info Hub". 2024-06-05. Retrieved 2024-06-05.
  13. ^ Arora, Amit (29 May 2009). "Guj seeks extension of expressway to Mumbai". Gandhinagar. Daily News and Analysis. Retrieved 2013-07-28.
  14. ^ "IRB ties in record BOT road deal". Thomson Reuters. 2012. Retrieved 2013-07-21.
  15. ^ Dhomse, Himansh (14 February 2012). "Soon, a 10-lane 'Super Expressway' for Vadodara". Daily News and Analysis. Ahmedabad. Retrieved 2013-07-28.
  16. ^ "New Year gift: No toll on A'bad-Vadodara". Vadodara. Indian Express. 1 January 2013. Retrieved 2013-07-23.
  17. ^ "Six laning of expressway to be over in two years". The Times of India. Gandhinagar. 13 May 2013. Retrieved 2013-07-27.
  18. ^ Tushar, Prabhune (2005-12-25). "Gujarat expressway takes road to destruction". Ahmedabad. Archived from the original on 16 March 2014. Retrieved 2013-07-21.
  19. ^ Rautela, Vikram (31 January 2006). "Expressway offers speed not safety". The Times of India. Ahmedabad. Archived from the original on 25 July 2013. Retrieved 2013-07-25.
  20. ^ Mukherjee, Amit (13 June 2003). "Fatal surprises on A'bad-Nadiad Expressway". The Times of India. Nadiad. Archived from the original on 24 July 2013. Retrieved 2013-07-24.
  21. ^ "Fatal mishaps on Ahmedabad-Vadodara expressway". Ahmedabad. Daily News and Analysis. 14 June 2011. Retrieved 2013-07-25.
  22. ^ "Mumbai-Pune Expressway turns into a death trap". Pune. Daily News and Analysis. 3 January 2012. Retrieved 2013-07-25.
  23. ^ Soni, Nikunj (3 August 2009). "Expressway is no boon for GSRTC commuters". Ahmedabad. Daily News and Analysis. Retrieved 2013-07-28.
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