The long-pending upgradation of the Kamrej–Chalthan stretch on National Highway 48 (NH-48) near Surat has finally received approval, with plans to expand the corridor from four lanes to six lanes.
The project, estimated at around ₹686 crore, will cover a stretch of approximately 13.8–14 km, aimed at easing congestion on one of the busiest highway segments in South Gujarat.
The section has witnessed severe traffic pressure for nearly 17 years, driven by rapid urbanisation, industrial growth, and heavy movement of commercial vehicles between key economic centres. The delay in widening had led to frequent congestion, bottlenecks, and safety concerns, making it a critical infrastructure priority.
The approved plan involves widening the existing carriageway into a six-lane divided highway, along with the development of service roads on both sides, designed to segregate local and through traffic. This is expected to significantly improve traffic flow and reduce travel time across the corridor.
The project will be executed under the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) mode, ensuring faster implementation with full funding support from the government.
Once completed, the upgraded stretch will strengthen connectivity along the Delhi–Mumbai corridor, of which NH-48 is a crucial part, while also supporting industrial logistics in and around Surat, it is one of the India’s major hubs for textiles and diamond processing.
The clearance of this project marks the resolution of a long-standing infrastructure gap in the region, with construction expected to address both capacity constraints and safety issues on this heavily used highway stretch.
