HCC Concessions starts toll ops of Farakka Raiganj highway

HCC Concessions Ltd today said it has commenced commercial operations of its Rs 1,720 crore Farakka Raiganj Highways (FRHL) in West Bengal.
FRHL covers the busiest section of NH-34 over 100 km and passes through major towns such as Farakka, Kaliachawk, Malda, and Gajol, besides being the only link over the river Ganga in the region.
The project, which has a concession period of 30 years, forms an integral part of HCC's Rs 4,300 crore development of NH-34 across three contiguous stretches over 256 km between Baharampore and Dalkhola, HCC said in a statement.
The first leg between Baharampore to Farakka has been operational since May 2014 with a current daily collection of approximately Rs 40 lakh.

"HCC's development of NH-34 is among the largest PPP highway undertakings in the country. NH-34 is the backbone of the transport system in Bengal, which is the fourth most populous state in India and home to 90 million citizens. The completion of this mega project will have a multiplier effect on GDP growth," Arjun Dhawan, Chairman of the Board, HCC Concessions said.
The development of FRHL is supported by a consortium of 9 lenders.

The construction of FRHL has involved over 130 structures including 9 major bridges, 22 minor bridges, 5 underpasses and 2 toll plazas, with material coordination alongside NHAI and numerous State agencies.

HCC Operations & Maintenance is the designated O&M contractor for the highway.
"Travel time for commuters in FRHL has been reduced materially, by approximately 5-6 hours during peak hours, while overall travel time between Kolkata and North Bengal will be cut by over half due to the complete four laning of NH-34," the statement said.