The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), is planning to construct an elevated Kona expressway for a stretch of 6.5km to put an end to the perennial problem of traffic snarls on the highway for good.

The NHAI authorities said they plan to award contracts for the same by December, which will take three years to complete.

The revelation was made at the meet of NHAI officials and regional stakeholders from West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha and Assam onto a common platform to share knowledge, achievements and challenges on Tuesday-Wednesday.

Present on the occasion was NHAI chairperson Alka Upadhyaya, who said that land acquisition problems have been resolved to a large extent in the state and most of the projects are on track now.

“We are thinking of a new alignment from Kharagpur to Morgram. In the current financial year we will be able to complete 250-km worth work. Kona expressway will be elevated for a stretch of 6.5km,” she said.

She added that while the Fastag usage has been 97 per cent in India, it has been around 98.5 per cent in West Bengal. She said that for NHAI road safety is high in the priority list and had asked the stakeholders to create a template so that lives are not lost. And she wanted wider awareness on the subject. “I’m a warrior of plastic waste reuse and the emphasis is on innovation,” she said.

RP Singh, NHAI regional officer in Kolkata said that the elevated set from NH-6 to Vidyasagar Setu with a cost of Rs 2,000cr will mean seamless traffic.

“From Kharagpur, vehicles moving towards Siliguri, have to come to Kolkata and then take NH-34 to go to Siliguri. Now, it will be a bypass from Kharagpur to Siliguri, via Bardwan to Morgram. It will be a greenfield alignment, which will save up to five hours time with a budget of Rs 12,000cr. This stretch of Kharagpur-Burdwan-Morgram will be 234km and will be over in three years,” said Mr Singh.

He also spoke about the Belda project, a 5-km stretch for which 30 per cent work is complete. “By March we plan to complete it for emergency fighter planes to land. Another spot for landing is in the proposal stage,” Said Mr Singh.

Member technical Mahavir Singh said that for road safety 53 teams have been engaged for it. He said NHAI is recording Rs 100cr daily toll collection through Fastag.