NH-168A Thavar to Zerda Four-Lane Widening Tender, Banaskantha (Gujarat)

MoRTH has opened bidding to widen 22.45 km of NH-168A between Thavar and Zerda in Banaskantha district, Gujarat, on EPC mode at an estimated ₹286.97 crore, with bids closing on 17 September 2026.

What the contract covers

The work runs from Km 32.950 to Km 55.400 on NH-168A and takes the existing two-lane carriageway up to four lanes with paved shoulders. That is a shade over 22 km of continuous highway in north Gujarat, awarded as a single EPC package by the Regional Office at Gandhinagar. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has put the estimate at ₹286.97 crore and set the reference as 01 EPC OF 2026-27.

Widening jobs of this length are rarely just about laying more bitumen. Expect embankment raising along the existing alignment, drainage and cross-drainage structures, service road stretches near settlements, and traffic management while one carriageway stays open. Banaskantha sits on sandy to loamy ground with long dry spells, so borrow-earth logistics and water for compaction usually decide whether the programme holds.

Who this suits

At ₹286.97 crore over roughly 22 km, this is a mid-size national highway package. It is comfortable ground for an established road EPC firm with NH experience, and it also opens steady subcontract work for smaller outfits in earthwork, structures and paving. The EMD is ₹2,86,97,000 and the tender fee is ₹30,000, paid offline. Bid validity is 120 days across a two-cover process, and withdrawal is allowed.

If you own machines rather than bid for contracts, the package matters to you for a different reason. A job this size keeps a fleet booked for the better part of two seasons, and the hiring demand around Deesa and Palanpur usually firms up once the award is announced.

Machines the job will pull in

A four-laning package of this length runs on a fairly predictable fleet. Excavators handle cutting, drain work and structure foundations. Wheel loaders and tippers move borrow earth and aggregate. Motor graders trim the widened formation to level, and soil compactors and tandem rollers follow through the layers. Concrete work at culverts and minor bridges needs mixers or a small batching setup on site, and cranes come in for girder placement wherever the structures call for it.

Owners planning to place machines here should read the completion period and the milestone dates before committing, since the submission window itself opens only on 28 August 2026.

Key facts

How to apply

1. Open the official portal: Central Public Procurement Portal.
2. Search by tender ID 2026_MoRTH_920414_1 (reference no. 01 EPC OF 2026-27) under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
3. Register on the portal and keep a valid Class III digital signature certificate ready.
4. Download the NIT, tender document and BOQ, then check eligibility, EMD of ₹2,86,97,000 and the ₹30,000 fee.
5. Submit your bid online before 17 September 2026.

More on DesiMachines

Gujarat has a heavy run of live infrastructure work right now. The Sarkhej to Dholera semi high-speed railway line tender is the largest package on our desk, and the Lothal museum EPC tender suits building contractors working the same belt. Road bidders comparing four-laning packages across states can also look at the Arwal four-lane bypass tender in Bihar.

Browse more live tenders in Gujarat or see all live tenders. On the machine side, check current excavators, motor graders, compactors and wheel loaders, or read up on equipment finance before you commit a fleet.

FAQ

Tender details are summarised for convenience and may change. Always verify the latest dates, terms and documents on the official tendering portal before bidding. DesiMachines is not responsible for changes made by the issuing authority.