National Expressway 1 (India)

National Expressway 1 marker

National Expressway 1
Ahmedabad Vadodara Expressway
Route information
Maintained by National Highways Authority of India
Length: 93.1 km (57.8 mi)
Major junctions
North end: Ahmedabad
South end: Vadodara
Location
States: Gujarat
Major cities: Nadiad, Anand
Highway system

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

Expressway

The expressway has 2 lanes each side and one service lane. The expressway opened in 2003.[5] It has two exit loops at Nadiad and Anand.[6] In 2009, the National Highways Authority of India announced plans to upgrade the expressway to six lanes.[7] Two-wheeler vehicles of all kinds are forbidden on the expressway.[8] 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.[9]

History

The expressway was built at a cost of ₹ 475 crore and inaugurated by the then Prime Minister of India, Atal Bihari Vajpayee.[3] In 2009, the Government of Gujarat asked the Government of India to extend the expressway to Mumbai.[10] In 2011, IRB Infra won a bid to upgrade the expressway from four lanes to six lanes with service lanes and collect toll.[11][12] 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.[13] The process of upgrading the expressway to six lanes is being done at a cost of ₹ 3300 crore.[14]

Safety

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.[15] 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.[16] The Ahmedabad-Nadiad stretch is considered the most dangerous, with fatal accidents reported since the opening of the expressway.[17][18] The expressway has been referred to as not accident-prone when compared to the Mumbai Pune Expressway.[19] GSRTC buses are known to travel slowly on the expressway due to speed limits set prior to the opening of the expressway.[20]

See also

References

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