The Outer Ring Road, whose foundation stone was laid in 2016 and was supposed to be completed in 2019, has finally entered its last phase. It is likely to open for traffic by first week of April 2025. A whopping Rs 2,000 crore was spent on the construction of this 64-km road. Once opened for traffic, it will ease traffic movement in and around Nagpur city. Vehicles coming from outside can bypass the city. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) had undertaken the project for diverting heavy vehicles from city roads. The aim was to reduce the movement of heavy vehicles through city roads and improving the connectivity within Nagpur.

 

A major part of the road has been completed and some small portion is under construction. According to experts, the remaining part would be completed within a month and by first week of April, the Ring Road will be operational. The Ring Road begins from Jamtha on Wardha Road, passes by Samruddhi Expressway junction, Katol Road, Koradi, Fetri, Nagpur-Jabalpur Highway, ending at Nagpur bypass near Kapsi. In its second phase, the Outer Ring Road connects Fetri to Kapsi. For example, trucks from Hyderabad will get a direct route to Jabalpur, from Betul one can travel to Bhandara and further to Kolkata.

 

This road connects Amravati road and will have access to Bhandara Road. Nagpur already has an Inner Ring Road built by the PWD. Growing traffic demand led NHAI to develop this larger Outer Ring Road. One can come from Hingna and connect to Samruddhi Mahamarg from the Outer Ring Road. The 64-km Outer Ring Road will make people heave a sigh of relief as it has been planned in a manner so that one can take any convenient road from outside the city. At present, Nagpurians are witnessing a lot of construction work all over the city. The traffic congestion too has increased. To add to their woes, the heavy vehicles are adding to the mess. These heavy vehicles are moving through the dense traffic plus they are taking bridges not meant for them.