Telangana’s RRR progress hinges on bids, pending Southern part clearance

Bids for the northern stretch of Regional Ring Road (Hyderabad) close on April 29, with delays and uncertainty persisting. The ₹8,535 crore project under NHAI faces design changes, land acquisition funding issues, and pending approval for the southern alignment

Hyderabad: The Roads and Buildings (R&B) department is on edge as bid submissions for the northern stretch of the Regional Ring Road (RRR) close on Wednesday.

The deadline has already been extended twice. Officials are uncertain if the process will conclude this time or face another delay.

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The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) approved the northern part of the RRR on March 5, 2021. The project covers the Sangareddy–Choutuppal section of NH161AA under the Bharatmala Pariyojana Phase I and will be executed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).

Earlier this year, the State government faced a setback when the Centre scaled down the project. It was revised from an access-controlled expressway to a standard national highway. As a result, key features were reduced and the design speed was lowered from 130 kmph to 100 kmph.

The NHAI invited bids on November 11, 2025 for six-lane construction under the Hybrid Annuity Model. The project has been divided into five packages, with an estimated cost of Rs.8,535 crore.

The final bid submission date is April 29, 2026. Based on the response, MoRTH’s Alignment Approval Committee will take a call on the next steps, a senior R&B official said.

The State government will bear 50 percent of the land acquisition cost. It has allocated Rs.1,525 crore in the 2026–27 budget for this purpose.

Southern alignment awaits approval

Progress on the Southern part remains slow. The State government formed a Cabinet sub-committee on September 25, 2024 to examine alignment options.

A private agency was appointed on May 2 last year to prepare the Detailed Project Report (DPR). Proposed changes to the alignment triggered protests from farmers and landowners. Many alleged that lands belonging to influential groups were spared while those of small and marginal farmers were included.

Despite the opposition, the State Cabinet approved the alignment options on June 23 last year. The proposed 201-km stretch will pass through Choutuppal, Amangal and Sangareddy, where it will connect with the Northern part.

The government also directed HMDA to include the southern stretch within the expanded Hyderabad Metropolitan Region. The revised alignment was submitted to MoRTH on February 25 this year. Approval is still awaited.

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari informed State R&B Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy on March 3 that NHAI has appointed a DPR consultant for the southern stretch.

“The DPR is under preparation. Further action will be taken based on its outcome,” Gadkari had said on X.

A senior R&B official said the State government has met its commitments so far. “As directed by NHAI, Rs.526.76 crore has been deposited for project execution,” the official claimed.