No Four-Laning for Alwar-Behror SH-14: ₹53 Crore Sanctioned for Repairs Instead

No four-laning for Rajasthan’s Alwar-Behror State Highway-14; government shelves ₹483-crore project over high costs, allocating ₹53 crore for repairs instead.

Alwar: The Rajasthan government has put its plans to upgrade the Alwar-Behror State Highway-14 into a four-lane road on the back burner for now. Instead, a sum of ₹53 crore has been released to repair the existing stretch.

This comes as a disappointment to the public, who had been anticipating that a four-lane highway would allow vehicles to cruise smoothly and slash the travel time between Alwar and Behror by nearly 40 minutes.

The Rajasthan State Road Development and Construction Corporation (RSRDC) is now gearing up to invite tenders for the repair work, which is slated to commence in July.

The project to convert the Alwar-Behror State Highway into a four-lane route was initially drawn up by the state government.

The Detailed Project Report (DPR) took the RSRDC around eight months to finalise.

According to the DPR, widening the 70 km stretch from Alwar to Behror into a four-lane highway was estimated to cost ₹483 crore. The project would have also required the removal of several encroachments and the acquisition of some land.

However, when the proposal reached the government, it was sidelined. Sources suggest that the government showed little interest due to the hefty budget required.

Nevertheless, given the dilapidated condition of the road, a decision was made to allocate ₹53 crore for immediate repairs, and the funds have already been transferred to the RSRDC.

Why Four-Laning is Essential
Reduced Travel Time: The current two-lane route is frequently hit by traffic jams, making the 70 km journey last nearly two hours. A four-lane highway would cut this travel time down to just one hour.
Industrial and Tourism Boost: The route is vital for industrial and tourism development, as it connects the industrial hubs of Neemrana, Bhiwadi, and Khairthal.
Religious and Tourist Traffic: The highway sees a steady flow of thousands of tourists and pilgrims heading to Khatu Shyam and other religious sites. The heavy influx of commercial vehicles has made widening the road a necessity.
Direct Connectivity: Better connectivity with the Delhi-Jaipur National Highway would offer direct benefits to commuters.
Accident Reduction: It would significantly lower the accident rate. The route currently features several narrow and treacherous bends, particularly at the Jindauli Ghati.

Official Statement
"The DPR for four-laning the Alwar-Behror route was submitted to the government a long time ago. The government has sanctioned ₹53 crore for the repair of this stretch. We will be floating tenders for the work very soon."
— Satish Kumar, Project Director, RSRDC