BRIEF SUMMARY FOR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT (EIA) AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN (EMP) FOR PROPOSED NEW NATIONAL HIGHWAY -NH-754K GREENFIELD ALIGNMENT SANCHORE-SANTALPUR SECTION (ECONOMIC CORRIDOR – 3 STARTING FROM VANTDAU, IN BANASKANTHA DISTRICT TO RANMALPURA IN PATAN DISTRICT, APPROXIMATELY 124.6KM) Submitted by NATIONAL HIGHWAYS AUTHORITY OF INDIA (Ministry of Road Transport & Highways Government of India) 1.1 Preamble Bharatmala is a new umbrella program for the infrastructure development mainly focuses on optimizing efficiency of transportation and passenger movement across the country by bridging critical infrastructure gaps through effective interventions of National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MORTH). These projects involve the constructions or improvement of Economic Corridor, inter corridor and feeder routes, national highways/ newly declared National Highways with an aim to improve road connectivity to coastal/border areas, ports, backward areas, and religious and tourist sites. The project has identified 44 economic (freight) corridors, inter-corridors and feeder-routes for development. 1.2 Project Description The proposed project is a part of the Bharatmala Project which has been envisaged as an umbrella program under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. The project involves constructions or improvement of national highways/ newly declared National Highways with an aim to improve road connectivity to border areas, ports, backward areas, religious and tourist sites. The project has identified 44 economic (freight) corridors, inter-corridors and feeder-routes for development. Out of 8 packages in Package 3/Lot 4, there are 5 Economic Corridor, 1 Inter Corridor stretch & 2 Feeder Routes. The details are as follows: - - End) - Latitude Latiture - End - State Road Start Name Corridor Corridor Longitude Longitude Length(km) (Start (Start End Stretch name name Stretch Classification Start EC - Agra - Guna 24.620 24.685 Economic NH 46 MP 12 77.260778 77.34 Mumbai Bypass 215 399 Corridor Bhopal- EC - Kandla - Sanchi- 23.254 23.834 78.704 Economic NH 146 MP 173 77.514384 Sagar Vidisha- 28 541 3 Corridor Sagar 4 EC - - Sagar - Rewa 24.511 24.548 81.349 Economic NH 30 MP 19 81.229595 Varanasi Bypass 004 484 76 Corridor FR - Batera - MP SH Batera 23.201 23.097 78.337 Feeder MP 13 78.290739 Pathariya 15 Pathariya 266 521 03 Route Package 3/ Package Lot FR - Katni - Katni- 23.843 23.310 81.352 Feeder NH 43 MP 126 80.436801 Shahdol Shahdhol 626 245 65 Route NH 68/ EC - Sanchore- Amritsar - GJ SH 24.655 23.741 71.135 Economic GJ 124.6 Tharad- 71.741567 Jamnagar 127 / 542 177 92 Corridor Santalpur NH 27 EC - Kandla - Samkhyali 23.307 23.074 70.794 Economic NH 27 GJ 41 70.517008 Sagar -Khirai 6 168 16 Corridor ICR - Inter Kathlal - GJ SH Kathlal- 22.884 22.727 72.872 Corridor GJ 21 72.98089 Nadiad 59 Nadiad 81 39 32 Route The project corridor is proposed for development to 4-lane access-controlled roads depending upon traffic and the Right of Way available. In this regard, NHAI has been entrusted with the assignment of Development of Economic Corridors, Inter-Corridors, Feeder Routes and Coastal Roads primarily to improve freight movement in the Country. NHAI has invited proposal from Technical consultants for carrying out detailed project report. 1.3 Need and Importance of the Project Cities have concentrated educational infrastructures, employment opportunities, skilled work force, financial independence and the infrastructure to keep the demand-supply cycle intact. Thus, for a young developing nation, exposure of the youth to the industries and business opportunities in the cities plays a very important role in deciding the future and its demography. Transport infrastructure forms the backbone of a country’s economy and provides a vital linkage between the urban and the rural areas. The proposed Greenfield alignment new highway NH-754K is the Economic corridor which is the part of Amritsar Jamnagar Section EC-3. The improvement will especially speed up the freight movement and provide a better access to freight vehicles. Connectivity with the remote and sensitive areas will enhance, it will also ensure faster road vehicular and train movement and also reduce accidents. It also connects the rural areas to better prospects of medical support for humans as well as cattle. Apart from that, it promises to revive the agriculture, tourism, education in and around the district. Temporary employment generation. An important aspect which may not be always thought about is the frequency and impact of accidents. The Project will substantially reduce the existing transport bottleneck to trade and will foster regional economic cooperation. Thus, this will not only reduce travel time but also improve the district’s/state economic growth. The entire region will be benefitted from the Project, while the project area will gain through economic development and increased access to markets and social services. 1.4 Project Benefits By upgrading the existing road and construction of new highway the project will substantially reduce the travel time. This route is important, as it also provide link between Rajasthan and Gujarat. Widening and construction of the Highways to 4 lanes will reduce the number of accidents caused, will reduce transport cost and will contribute to commercial and industrial development opportunities. The road connects the rural areas with limited educational facilities to the urban ones with plenty opportunities for higher education. As it is a part of Bharatmala Project the entire region will be benefitted through economic development and increased access to markets and social services. 1.5 Proposed Greenfield Alignment: Sanchore-Santalpur Section (Bharatmala EC 3) Proposed Greenfield Alignment (Bharatmala EC 3) is a New National Highway, which is situated in Banaskantha and Patan district and it is going to upgrade into National highway NH – 754K. The new alignment NH-754K starts from Vantdau village (Banaskantha) connecting sub districts Tharad, Vav, Suigam, Bhabhar, Santalpur and terminating near Ranmalpura Village (Patan).The latitude and longitude are 24°39'19.45"N latitude, 71°44'29.27"E longitude at Vantdau, Banaskantha district and 23°44'30.81"N latitude, 71° 8'11.02"E longitude at Ranmalpura in Patan district. The proposed Project (Chainage 6+000 to 129+636) is a greenfield proposal. Total length of project study corridor is 124.6 km. The proposed alignment is divided into two stretches i.e. Package - I (Design Chainage km 6+000 to km 75+000) and Package - II (Design Chainage km 75+000 to 129+636).In Package I, The proposed alignment connects Vantdau village to Mespura village via Tharad sub-district from km 6+000 to km 75+000 in Banaskantha District, in Gujarat. Total length of project road in Package I is 69 km. In Package II, The proposed alignment (EC-3) connects Jorawargadh village to Ranmalpura via Santalpur sub-district from km 75+000 to km 129+636 in Banaskantha and Patan District. The Project study corridor starts in Banaskantha district from near Vantdau village and ends near Ranmalpura Village in Patan district. Total length of package II is 54.6 km. This corridor is Greenfield alignment of length 124.646 out of which 20 km is existing alignment from 14+000 to 34+000 km, which will be upgraded and the construction of the new highway will lead to enhanced connectivity opportunity within district as well as the surrounding areas. The proposed project passes through 39 major villages (approx.), namely Vantdau, Vaghasan, Miyal, Mota Mesara, Nana Mesara, Piluda, Mangrol, Dudhva, Junadi, Budhanpur, Tharad, Vajegadh, Malupur, Nagala, Malsan, Morikha, Dethali, Savpura, Vasarda, Bhatasana, Radka, Chatara, Mespura, Jorawargadh, Uchosan, Morwada, Garambadi, Vaghpura, Soneth, Kilana, Varanosari, Jamvada, Patanka, Babra, Bavarda, Bakutra, Kalyanpura, Santalpur, Ranmalpura in Banaskantha and Patan district. .