The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs of India, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved the development of four laning of Hubli-Hospet Section of NH-63 in Karnataka. 

The cost is estimated to be INR22.7 billion (US$336.5 million) including cost of land acquisition, resettlement and rehabilitation and other pre-construction activities. The total length of the road to be developed is approximately 144 km.

This work will be done under the National Highways Development Project (NHDP) Phase-IV on Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) basis. 

As we reported in 2012, the Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure approved the development of the road PPP project, but no bidders responded to the successive RFPs launched on 2012 and 2013. As a result, the project was temporarily put aside. 

The project will help in expediting the improvement of infrastructure in Karnataka and in reducing the time and cost of travel for traffic, particularly heavy traffic, plying between Hubli and Hospet section. The development of this stretch will also help in uplifting the socio-economic condition of this region in the State.