Widening Roadways is not the option for Prosperity! Part 3

Citizens put forth the issue at different levels that it is better to widen the existing highway rather than constructing an entirely new route for the Samruddhi Mahamarg. So, MSRDC decided to reach out and explain their role to the people by publishing a series of articles titled ‘Widening roadways is not the option for prosperity!’. In the first two parts of the article series we discussed the financial, social and technical difficulties faced if widening of existing highway is undertaken as an option for the Samruddhi Mahamarg. Yet there are certain issues necessary to be put forward which are presented in this part of the series.

You must have read in the first two parts of this article series, that why it is not viable to widen the old highway for the Samruddhi Mahamarg. Essentially, it is not appropriate to compare the Samruddhi Mahamarg with the existing highways that are built using old technology. If we study the existing highways, we will understand that their width is considerably less when compared with the 120 m wide Samruddhi Mahamarg. For example, village roads are 20 m wide, state highways are 30 m wide, whereas the national highways are 45-60 m wide. So it is not practical to widen the existing roads.

The existing highway is of a comparatively lower height, so merely widening of the existing highway will not be of any use, but the height of 700 km stretch will also have to be increased. In short, the existing highway will have to be demolished and then a new route will have to be constructed which will not be economically feasible. The Samruddhi Mahamarg will have sites designated for wayside amenities like toilets and hotels, which is not possible if the existing highway is widened.

As times change, the technology used for constructing highways also changes. A lot of efforts and money will have to be put in for modifying the existing highway by using new technology. This will adversely affect the quality of the highway.

On reading these three parts of the article series, it is apparent that widening the existing highway is not at all practically viable, which supports the fact that widening of roadways is not the option for prosperity!