HYDERABAD: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday approved the widening of the Armoor–Jagtial–Mancherial section of National Highway 63 and the Jagtial–Karimnagar section of National Highway 563 into four-lane highways at a combined cost of Rs 7,597.16 crore.
The Armoor–Jagtial–Mancherial project will be executed under the Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM), while the Jagtial–Karimnagar stretch will be developed under the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT-Toll) model. Together, the projects cover 190.76 km.
The concession period for the Armoor–Jagtial and Jagtial–Mancherial stretches is 17.5 years, including 2.5 years for construction. The Jagtial–Karimnagar section will have a concession period of 20 years, including 2.5 years for construction.
The Armoor–Jagtial–Mancherial corridor passes through Nizamabad, Jagtial and Mancherial districts and currently experiences heavy congestion due to built-up areas such as Anksapoor, Korutla, Jagtial, Dharmapuri, Lakshettipet and Mancherial. The Jagtial–Karimnagar section also passes through densely populated stretches, including Jagtial, Potharam, Gangadhara and Karimnagar.
According to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, both projects will feature four-lane carriageways with bypasses around urban areas and open tolling systems. The highways are being designed for speeds of up to 100 kmph, which is expected to improve travel efficiency across Nizamabad, Jagtial, Mancherial and Karimnagar districts.
The ministry said the projects align with the PM GatiShakti initiative and will connect five economic nodes, seven social nodes and 10 logistics nodes, while improving regional mobility and supporting socio-economic development.
Once completed, travel time between Armoor and Mancherial is expected to reduce by about 90 minutes, while the journey between Jagtial and Karimnagar is likely to be shortened by around 45 minutes. The ministry said the projects would also reduce fuel consumption, carbon emissions and vehicle operating costs, while providing faster and safer movement of passenger and freight traffic.