The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has selected New Jersey-headquartered engineer Louis Berger to help with detailed designs to upgrade 820km of roads in southern India.
The Indian government wants to develop economic and interstate transport corridors, feeder routes and coastal thoroughfares to improve freight movement in the country.
Kshitish Nadgauda, senior vice president and managing director for Louis Berger in Asia, said: "These projects will make the roads wider, safer and more efficient while protecting the environment and enabling local and regional economic development."
The two roads to be modernised under this project are the highway between the state of Tamil Nadu and the union territory of Puducherry in the Indian southern peninsula, and the road that links the nearby states of Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Goa.
Louis Berger said it will first establish the technical, economic and financial viability of the current road modernisation projects.
The firm will then prepare the design, carry out all necessary studies to support interstate four- or six-lane roads and assess various funding options.
The projects will include road widening and alignment; repaving; upgrades to intersections, bridges, bypasses and service roads; new toll plaza design; and improvements for more efficient traffic flow.
Image courtesy of Louis Berger
