Regional Ring Road project faces fresh delay as NHAI extends bid deadline for sixth time

The NHAI has extended the tender deadline for the northern stretch of the Regional Ring Road till August 20, marking the sixth extension. Pending Central approvals continue to delay the project, while the State government seeks simultaneous execution of both northern and southern sections.

Hyderabad: Blame it on the BJP-led Central government’s indifference towards Telangana or the inefficiency of the Congress government in securing approvals, tenders for the northern part of the Regional Ring Road (RRR) have been extended for the sixth time till August 20.

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) had invited bids on November 11, 2025, for the construction of the 161-km, six-lane Sangareddy-Choutuppal stretch of NH 161AA under the Bharatmala Pariyojana Phase-I. The project is proposed to be executed under the Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM).

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However, pending approvals from the Centre have repeatedly delayed the bidding process, forcing the NHAI to extend the deadline multiple times. Anticipating another postponement, officials in the State Roads and Buildings (R&B) department expected the deadline to be extended once again.

The previous BRS government had urged the Centre to expedite the project after it granted in-principle approval for the northern part in February 2021. Later that year, then Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao met Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari and sought approval for the southern part as well. The State had also agreed to bear 50 per cent of the land acquisition cost.

The northern section requires the acquisition of about 1,918 hectares of land. According to R&B officials, around 60 per cent of the acquisition has been completed.

After the Congress assumed office in December 2023, the project continued to face delays for various reasons. A row erupted after the southern part alignment was changed, with farmers and landowners alleging that the lands of influential groups were spared. Yet, the State government approved the changed alignment for the proposed 201-km stretch that would pass through Choutuppal, Amangal and Sangareddy, where it will connect with the northern part.

Last month, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy met Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and informed him that 95 per cent of the land acquisition for the northern part had been completed. He also requested approval for the southern part, stating that simultaneous execution of both stretches would reduce costs and speed up construction.

Replying to a question by BJP Rajya Sabha MP K Laxman on July 29, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the northern section had been prepared.

He said the proposal for developing the 161.518-km, six-lane northern RRR under the Hybrid Annuity Model, with an estimated cost of Rs 23,935.6 crore, had been appraised by the Public-Private Partnership Appraisal Committee (PPPAC). Gadkari said the final decision on investment and implementation would depend on the DPR findings, connectivity requirements, traffic density and its integration with the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan.

He also informed the Rajya Sabha that notifications under Section 3D of the National Highways Act had been issued for 99.06 per cent of the land required for the northern section, while compensation awards under Section 3G had been declared for 87.19 per cent of the land. He added that the project execution timeline would be finalised after the feasibility study and approval by the competent authority. The DPR for the southern section of the RRR is yet to be finalised.