Golden Quadrilateral: Difference between revisions

The Golden Quadrilateral
The Golden Quadrilateral
	Highway map of India with the Golden Quadrilateral highlighted in solid blue colour
Route information
	Maintained by NHAI
Length	5,846 km (3,633 mi)
Existed	July 2013; 11 years ago–present
Kolkata – Delhi
Length	1,453 km (903 mi)
Major intersections	NH 44 & NH 19
Delhi – Mumbai
Length	1,419 km (882 mi)
Major intersections	NH 48
Mumbai – Chennai
Length	1,290 km (800 mi)
Major intersections	NH 48
Chennai – Kolkata
Length	1,684 km (1,046 mi)
Major intersections	NH 16
Location
Country	India
Highway system
	Roads in India; Expressways; National; State; Asian;

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NH4: Chennai–Mumbai section of the GQ highway near Krishnagiri, Tamil Nadu

The Golden Quadrilateral (Hindi: स्वर्णिम चतुर्भुज, romanized: Svarnim Chaturbhuj; abbreviated GQ) is a national highway network connecting several major industrial, agricultural and cultural centres of India. It forms a quadrilateral with all the four major metro cities of India forming the vertices, viz., Delhi (north), Kolkata (east), Mumbai (west) and Chennai (south). Other major cities connected by this network include Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Balasore, Bhadrak, Bhubaneswar, Bhilwara, Cuttack, Berhampur, Durgapur, Faridabad, Guntur, Gurugram, Jaipur, Kanpur, Pune, Kolhapur, Surat, Vijayawada, Eluru, Ajmer, Visakhapatnam, Bodhgaya, Varanasi, Prayagraj, Agra, Mathura, Dhanbad, Gandhinagar, Udaipur, and Vadodara. The main objective of these super highways is to reduce the travel time between the major cities of India, running roughly along the perimeter of the country. The North–South corridor linking Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) and Kanyakumari (Tamil Nadu), and East–West corridor linking Silchar (Assam) and Porbandar (Gujarat) are additional projects. These highway projects are implemented by the National Highway Authority Of India (NHAI). At 5,846 kilometres (3,633 mi), it is the largest highway project in India and the fifth longest in the world.^[1] It is the first phase of the National Highways Development Project (NHDP), and consists of two, four, and six-lane express highways, built at a cost of ₹600 billion (US$7.2 billion).^[2] The project was planned in 1999, launched in 2001, and was completed on 7 January 2012.^[3]

The Golden Quadrilateral project is managed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) under the Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways. The vast majority of the system is not access controlled, although safety features such as guardrails, shoulders, and high-visibility signs are in use. The Mumbai–Pune Expressway, the first controlled-access toll road to be built in India, is a part of the GQ Project but not funded by NHAI, and is separate from the old Mumbai–Pune section of National Highway 48 (India). Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services (IL&FS) has been one of the major contributors to the infrastructural development activity in the GQ project.^{[not verified in body]}

History and costs

The Golden Quadrilateral Project (GQ Project) was intended to establish faster transport networks between major cities and ports, provide smaller towns better access to markets, reduce agricultural spoilage in transport, drive economical growth, and promote truck transport.^{[citation needed]}

Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee laid the foundation stone for the project on 6 January 1999.^[4] It was planned to be completed by 2006, but there were delays due to land acquisition constraints and disputes with contractors which had to be renegotiated.^[5]^[6] In January 2012, India announced the four-lane GQ highway network as complete.^[7]^[8]

India's government had initially estimated that the Golden Quadrilateral project would cost ₹600 billion (US$7.2 billion) at 1999 prices. However, the highway was built under-budget. As of August 2011, the cost incurred by the Indian government was about half of the initial estimate, at ₹308.58 billion (US$3.7 billion). The eight contracts in progress, as of August 2011, were worth ₹16.34 billion (US$200 million).^[9]^{[needs update]}

In September 2009, it was announced that the existing four-laned highways would be converted into six-lane highways.^[10] Sections of NH 2, NH 4, NH 5 and NH 8 were prioritized for widening to six lanes under DBFO (Design, Build, Finance, Operate) pattern and more sections would be six-laned in the future. On NH 8, six-lane work was completed from Vadodara to Surat.^[when?]^{[citation needed]}

No.	Segment	Length	Completed	Source^[11]^[12]
1.	Delhi–Kolkata	1,453 km (903 mi)	31 August 2011	[5] Archived 1 August 2009 at the Wayback Machine
2.	Chennai–Mumbai	1,290 km (800 mi)	31 August 2011	[6] Archived 4 August 2009 at the Wayback Machine
3.	Kolkata–Chennai	1,684 km (1,046 mi)	31 May 2013	[7] Archived 23 July 2009 at the Wayback Machine
4.	Mumbai–Delhi	1,419 km (882 mi)	31 August 2011	[8] Archived 28 June 2009 at the Wayback Machine
	Total	5,846 km (3,633 mi)	31 May 2013	[9] Archived 29 November 2009 at the Wayback Machine

Route

Only National Highways are used in the Golden Quadrilateral. The four legs use the following National Highways (new numbering system):

Delhi – Kolkata: NH 44 from Delhi to Agra & NH 19 from Agra to Kolkata
Delhi – Mumbai – Chennai: NH 48
Kolkata – Chennai: NH 16

Connected cities

Delhi–Kolkata	Kolkata–Chennai	Chennai–Mumbai	Mumbai–Delhi
Delhi Faridabad Palwal Vrindavan Mathura Agra Firozabad Etawah Kanpur Fatehpur district Prayagraj Varanasi Chandauli Mohania Kudra Sasaram Dehri Aurangabad (Bihar) Sherghati Dobhi Chauparan Barhi Bagodar Dhanbad Asansol Durgapur Bardhaman Kolkata	Kolkata Kharagpur Bhadrak Cuttack Bhubaneswar Berhampur (Brahmapur) Srikakulam Visakhapatnam Rajahmundry Eluru Vijayawada Guntur Ongole Kavali Nellore Chennai	Chennai Sriperumbudur Kanchipuram Walajapet Ranipet Arcot Melvisharam Vellore Pallikonda Ambur Vaniyambadi Krishnagiri Hosur Bengaluru Tumakuru Sira Chitradurga Davangere Ranebennur Hubballi-Dharwad Belagavi Kolhapur Karad Satara Pune Panvel Mumbai	Mumbai Silvassa Vapi Valsad Navsari Surat Bharuch Ankleshwar Vadodara Anand Nadiad Kheda Ahmedabad Gandhinagar Udaipur Chittaurgarh Bhilwara Ajmer Jaipur Gurgaon Delhi

Length in each state

The completed Golden Quadrilateral passes through 12 states and a union territory:

Andhra Pradesh – 1,014 km (630 mi)
Uttar Pradesh – 756 km (470 mi)
Rajasthan – 725 km (450 mi)
Karnataka – 623 km (387 mi)
Maharashtra – 487 km (303 mi)
Gujarat – 485 km (301 mi)
Odisha – 440 km (270 mi)
West Bengal – 406 km (252 mi)
Tamil Nadu – 342 km (213 mi)
Bihar – 204 km (127 mi)
Jharkhand – 192 km (119 mi)
Haryana – 152 km (94 mi)
Delhi – 25 km (16 mi)
Total – 5,846 km (3,633 mi)

Corruption allegations

In August 2003, Jharkhand-based project director Satyendra Dubey, in a letter to the prime minister, outlined a list of bad faith (mala fide) actions in a segment of a highway in Bihar. Dubey's claims included that big contractors had inside information from NHAI officials,^[13] that the contractors for this stretch were not executing the project themselves (as stipulated in the contract) but had been subcontracting the work to small builders who lacked technical expertise,^[13] and that no follow-up was performed after awarding advances.^[13] Dubey's name was leaked by the prime minister's office to the NHAI,^[13] and he was transferred against his wishes to Gaya, Bihar, where he was murdered on 27 November.^[13]

The NHAI eventually admitted that Dubey's allegations were substantiated, and implemented "radical reforms" in the selection and contract procedures.^[14] After considerable Central Bureau of Investigation scrutiny, Mantu Kumar and three accomplices were arrested and charged with murder. Mantu escaped from court on 19 September 2005,^[15] but was recaptured a month later. In 2010, Mantu and two others were convicted of murder and other offenses and sentenced to life in prison.^[16]

References

^ "World's 10 longest highways". Archived from the original on 23 January 2014. Retrieved 22 January 2014.
^ "Welcome to NHAI". Archived from the original on 14 April 2015. Retrieved 2013-07-23. Road network-Source-The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI)
^ Golden Quadrilateral Highway Network Archived 23 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine. Road Traffic Technology (2011-06-15). Retrieved on 2013-12-06.
^ "Building India's National Pride: The Golden Quadrilateral". Archived from the original on 17 July 2013. Retrieved 19 August 2012.
^ "Golden Quadrilateral still has miles to go". Financial Express. Archived from the original on 28 November 2005. Retrieved 26 August 2005.
^ R. N. Bhaskar. "Crossing the chasm". Forbes India. Archived from the original on 25 September 2009.
^ "Govt declares Golden Quadrilateral complete". The Indian Express. 7 January 2012. Archived from the original on 8 January 2014. Retrieved 9 January 2012.
^ "National Highways Development Project Map". National Highways Institute of India. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 5 December 2005.
^ "Contractors take the sheen off Golden Quadrilateral". The Financial Express. 3 August 2011. Archived from the original on 31 July 2012.
^ Megha Bahree (21 September 2009). "Ambassador: Indian Economy Will Grow". Forbes. Archived from the original on 11 September 2018. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
^ "Govt. of India declares "Golden Quadrilateral" complete - Jan 7th 2012". Archived from the original on 8 January 2014. Retrieved 9 January 2012.
^ "NHAI - Current status". Archived from the original on 29 November 2009. Retrieved 2 December 2009.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e [1] Archived 18 September 2009 at the Wayback Machine Bihar govt wakes up to IITian's murder-Source-Rediff News
^ [2] Archived 19 October 2007 at the Wayback Machine NHAI report to CBI proves Dubey right, contract rules being rewritten-Source-Indian Express
^ [3] Archived 16 September 2009 at the Wayback Machine Whistleblower in the 2004 National Highway Authority of India case escaped from police custody on Tuesday in Patna-Source-Rediff News
^ [4] Archived 10 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine Satyendranath Dubey killers get life imprisonment-Source-Oneindia. com

External links

'Mile by Mile, India Paves a Smoother Future' – extremely detailed New York Times article, dated 4 December 2005 (free registration required)
"Golden Quadrilateral still has miles to go" – Financial Express article dated 26 August 2005
Official website of the National Highways Authority of India
Map of GQ progress on the NHAI website
Ministry of Road Transport

[1] "World's 10 longest highways". Archived from the original on 23 January 2014. Retrieved 22 January 2014.

[2] "Welcome to NHAI". Archived from the original on 14 April 2015. Retrieved 2013-07-23. Road network-Source-The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI)

[3] Golden Quadrilateral Highway Network Archived 23 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine. Road Traffic Technology (2011-06-15). Retrieved on 2013-12-06.

[4] "Building India's National Pride: The Golden Quadrilateral". Archived from the original on 17 July 2013. Retrieved 19 August 2012.

[financialexpress-5] "Golden Quadrilateral still has miles to go". Financial Express. Archived from the original on 28 November 2005. Retrieved 26 August 2005.

[forbes_india-6] R. N. Bhaskar. "Crossing the chasm". Forbes India. Archived from the original on 25 September 2009.

[7] "Govt declares Golden Quadrilateral complete". The Indian Express. 7 January 2012. Archived from the original on 8 January 2014. Retrieved 9 January 2012.

[nhai_progress-8] "National Highways Development Project Map". National Highways Institute of India. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 5 December 2005.

[9] "Contractors take the sheen off Golden Quadrilateral". The Financial Express. 3 August 2011. Archived from the original on 31 July 2012.

[nh_expansion-10] Megha Bahree (21 September 2009). "Ambassador: Indian Economy Will Grow". Forbes. Archived from the original on 11 September 2018. Retrieved 29 August 2017.

[11] "Govt. of India declares "Golden Quadrilateral" complete - Jan 7th 2012". Archived from the original on 8 January 2014. Retrieved 9 January 2012.

[12] "NHAI - Current status". Archived from the original on 29 November 2009. Retrieved 2 December 2009.

[rediff2003-13] [1] Archived 18 September 2009 at the Wayback Machine Bihar govt wakes up to IITian's murder-Source-Rediff News

[14] [2] Archived 19 October 2007 at the Wayback Machine NHAI report to CBI proves Dubey right, contract rules being rewritten-Source-Indian Express

[rediff2005-15] [3] Archived 16 September 2009 at the Wayback Machine Whistleblower in the 2004 National Highway Authority of India case escaped from police custody on Tuesday in Patna-Source-Rediff News

[16] [4] Archived 10 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine Satyendranath Dubey killers get life imprisonment-Source-Oneindia. com

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v t e Highways in India
Expressways	Agra–Lucknow Ahmedabad–Vadodara Ambala–Chandigarh Bangalore Elevated Belghoria Chennai Bypass Chennai ORR Delhi–Faridabad Delhi–Gurgaon Delhi–Meerut Delhi–Noida Delhi Eastern Peripheral Delhi Western Peripheral Noida–Greater Noida Himalayan Hyderabad Elevated Hyderabad ORR Jaipur–Kishangarh Mumbai–Pune Mumbai–Nashik Mumbai Eastern Mumbai Western Panipat Elevated Purvanchal Raipur–Bhilai–Durg Trans-Haryana Expressway Vijayawada–Hyderabad Yamuna
National highways (list)	1 301 501 701 701A 2 102 102A 102B 102C 202 302 502 502A 702 702A 702B 702C 702D 3 103 303 503 503A 703 703A 703B 4 5 105 105B 205 205A 305 505 505A 705 6 106 206 306 306A 7 107 107A 307 507 707 707A 907 907A 907G 8 108 108A 108B 208 208A 9 109 109K 309 309A 309B 509 709 709A 709AD 709B 10 110 310 310A 510 710 11 311 911 911A 12 112 312 512 13 113 313 513 713 713A 14 114 114A 314 15 115 215 315 315A 415 515 715 715A 16 116 116A 116B 216 216A 316 316A 516 516A 516C 516D 516E 716 716A 716B 17 117 117A 217 317 317A 517 717 717A 717B 18 118 218 19 119 219 319 319D 419 519 719 919 20 120 220 320 320D 320G 520 720 21 321 321G 921 22 122 122A 122B 322 522 722 922 23 123 24 124C 124D 25 125 325 925 925A 26 126 126A 326 326A 27 127 127A 127B 127C 127D 127E 227 227A 227F 227J 227L 327 327A 327AD 327B 327C 427 527 527A 527B 527C 527D 527E 627 727 727A 727AA 727B 727BB 727G 727H 927 927A 927D 28 128 128A 128B 128C 328 328A 29 129 129A 229 329 329A 30 130 130A 130B 130C 130CD 130D 230 330 330A 330B 330D 530 530B 730 730A 730B 730C 730H 730S 930 930D 31 131 131A 231 331 431 531 731 731A 731AG 731K 931 931A 32 132 132B 332 332A 532 33 133 133A 133B 333 333A 333B 333C 34 134 234 334 334A 334B 334C 334D 334DD 534 734 934 35 135 135A 135B 135BB 135BD 135BG 135C 335 36 136 136B 336 536 37 137 137A 38 138 338 39 139 339 339B 539 40 140 340 340C 41 141 341 42 43 143 143A 143AG 143B 143D 143H 343 543 943 44 144 144A 244 244A 344 344A 344B 344M 444 444A 544 544D 544DD 544E 544H 744 744A 844 944 45 46 146 146B 346 47 147 147A 147D 147E 247 347 347A 347B 347BG 347C 547 547E 647 947 48 148 148AE 148B 148BB 148C 148D 148M 148N 148NA 248 248A 248BB 348 348A 348B 348BB 448 548 548A 548B 548C 548CC 548D 548DD 548E 548H 648 748 748AA 848 848A 848B 948 948A 49 149 149B 50 150 150A 150E 51 151 151A 251 351 351F 751 751D 751DD 52 152 152A 152D 352 352A 352R 352W 552 552G 652 752 752B 752C 752E 752G 752H 752I 752K 53 153 153B 353 353B 353C 353D 353E 353I 353J 353K 753 753A 753AB 753B 753BB 753C 753E 753F 753H 753J 753L 753M 953 54 154 154A 254 354 354B 354E 754 754K 954 55 655 56 156 756 57 157 157A 58 158 458 758 59 60 160 160A 160B 160C 160D 160H 360 61 161 161A 161AA 161B 161BB 161E 161G 161H 361 361B 361C 361F 361H 461B 561 561A 761 62 162 162A 63 163 163A 363 563 64 65 165 365 365A 365B 365BB 465 565 765 765D 965 965C 965D 965DD 965G 66 166 166A 166D 166E 166F 166G 166H 266 366 566 766 766C 766E 766EE 966 966A 966B 67 167 167A 167B 167BG 367 367A 68 168 168A 968 69 169 169A 369 369E 70 71 73 173 373 75 275 275K 77 79 179A 179B 179D 81 181 381 381A 381B 83 183 183A 383 85 185 785 87
State highways	Andhra Pradesh Arunachal Pradesh Assam Bihar Chhattisgarh Goa Gujarat Haryana Himachal Pradesh Jammu and Kashmir Jharkhand Karnataka Kerala Madhya Pradesh Maharashtra Manipur Meghalaya Mizoram Nagaland Odisha Puducherry Punjab Rajasthan Sikkim Tamil Nadu Telangana Tripura Uttarakhand Uttar Pradesh West Bengal
Notable	Arunachal Frontier Highway Golden Quadrilateral Grand Trunk Road North–South and East–West Corridor