NHAI Launches Rs 2,553.84 Crore Tender for NH-53 Six-Laning
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has floated a tender valued at Rs 2,553.84 crore to six-lane a 42 km stretch of National Highway 53 (NH-53) between Nagpur and Bhandara in Maharashtra. Both Swarajya and ET Infra reported the development on 19 October 2026. The tender represents a significant capital commitment to one of central India's key east-west corridors.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Project | Six-laning of NH-53, Nagpur to Bhandara |
| Promoter / Client | National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) |
| Location | Nagpur–Bhandara, Maharashtra |
| Stretch Length | 42 km |
| Tender Value | Rs 2,553.84 crore |
| Stage | Tender Floated |
Project Scope: NH-53 Between Nagpur and Bhandara
The tender covers the widening and upgrading of 42 km of NH-53, a national highway connecting Nagpur — a major logistics hub in Maharashtra — to Bhandara district. The scope as indicated by both reporting outlets is six-laning of this stretch. No further breakdown of scope, phasing or sub-components has been disclosed in the available reporting.
NH-53 is a key arterial route in the Vidarbha region. A separate, smaller project — the Widening and Strengthening of Road Project at NH-53 in Odisha, valued at Rs 51 crore — is already under construction, as tracked by Projects India's roadways and highways database, indicating that NH-53 is seeing investment across multiple states simultaneously.
Maharashtra's Position in India's Highway Pipeline
Maharashtra is the single largest state by count in Projects India's highway and roadways tracking universe. Projects India tracks 4,732 live roadways and highways projects across India, of which 821 are located in Maharashtra — the highest count of any state in this sub-sector. The next largest concentrations are in Odisha (622 projects) and Jharkhand (367 projects).
This geographic weight underscores Maharashtra's continued prominence as a destination for national highway investment, supported by NHAI's sustained tendering activity in the state. The Nagpur–Bhandara corridor sits within a broader cluster of central Maharashtra projects that suppliers and contractors active in the region should monitor closely.
Stage Breakdown: Where Pipeline Projects Stand Nationally
Understanding where projects sit in the development pipeline is critical for suppliers deciding when to engage. Across all 4,732 roadways and highways projects tracked by Projects India, the stage distribution is as follows:
- Under Approvals: 1,941 projects
- Planning: 1,617 projects
- Construction Started: 965 projects
- Completed: 107 projects
- Early / Announced: 50 projects
- Approvals Received: 23 projects
With nearly 3,600 projects still in the approvals or planning stages, the forward pipeline for this sub-sector remains substantial. The 965 projects already in construction represent a large active workfront for contractors and equipment suppliers right now. The NH-53 Nagpur–Bhandara tender, now that it has been floated, moves this project into a procurement-active phase where bidders will need to prepare responses.
NHAI's Recent Tendering Activity
NHAI has been active across multiple corridors in recent months. Among other tracked developments, a highway project at Gudebellur, Telangana, promoted by NHAI and valued at Rs 1,647 crore, has already entered construction. A further NHAI project at Nasarpore, Gujarat — Package VI, valued at Rs 1,453 crore — has received approvals. NHAI was also recently involved in a Rs 366.53 crore arbitration outcome on Rajasthan highway claims, and a Rs 1,352 crore Dewas–Badnawar highway project in Madhya Pradesh has been flagged for attention.
These projects illustrate that NHAI continues to advance a broad portfolio of highway schemes simultaneously across central and western India, of which the NH-53 Nagpur–Bhandara six-laning is the latest addition to the active tendering queue.
What this means for suppliers and contractors
The floatation of the Rs 2,553.84 crore NH-53 tender signals an immediate procurement opportunity for contractors qualified to bid on NHAI six-laning projects. Civil construction firms, road-laying equipment suppliers, bitumen and aggregate providers, and traffic-management specialists operating in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra should note the tender's emergence.
Maharashtra's position as the most active state in Projects India's highway tracking universe — with 821 projects on record — means competition for local resources, skilled labour and plant can be intense. Early engagement with the tender process is advisable. Suppliers tracking broader NHAI activity can monitor the Infrastructure Projects sector overview on Projects India for related tendering and construction-stage movement across the national portfolio.
With 1,941 highway projects nationally still under approvals and a further 1,617 in planning, the medium-term order book for contractors active in this sub-sector remains well-supported beyond this single tender.
Frequently asked questions
What is the value of the NHAI tender for the Nagpur–Bhandara highway stretch?
NHAI has floated a tender valued at Rs 2,553.84 crore to six-lane a 42 km section of NH-53 between Nagpur and Bhandara in Maharashtra, as reported by Swarajya and ET Infra on 19 October 2026.
Which highway does the Nagpur–Bhandara six-laning project cover?
The project covers National Highway 53 (NH-53), specifically a 42 km stretch between Nagpur and Bhandara in Maharashtra. NHAI is the promoter and client for this six-laning tender worth Rs 2,553.84 crore.
How many highway projects are tracked in Maharashtra by Projects India?
Projects India tracks 821 roadways and highways projects in Maharashtra, making it the state with the highest count in this sub-sector within the platform's database of 4,732 live projects nationally.
