NHAI tenders two NH-65 six-laning packages for Hyderabad route

NHAI has invited bids for two proposed six-laning packages on NH-65 linking the Hyderabad–Vijayawada–Machilipatnam corridor, including a 181.30-km Hyderabad–Nandigama package. For drivers, this is a future road-capacity project—not an immediate toll hike, lane closure or new route opening; the wider project still requires approval before work can proceed.

Key takeaways

NHAI’s e-tender listings and 24 Sep 2026 Hyderabad Mail report cover two packages on the NH-65 corridor.
The main package proposes six-laning from Malkapur near Hyderabad to Nandigama over 181.30 km, with service roads planned on both sides.
A separate package covers the Vijayawada–Machilipatnam section; the intervening Nandigama–Vijayawada section is not part of the reported tendering.
No new toll rate, FASTag rule, construction start date or immediate route diversion has been announced in the sources reviewed.
CCEA approval remains pending, so the widening should be described as proposed rather than operational or guaranteed.

Divided Indian highway carrying cars and trucks beside a proposed road-widening work zone

AI-generated editorial illustration of a proposed NH-65 widening work zone; not an official project photograph.

What NHAI has put to tender

The official Government eProcurement System listing shows NHAI procurement entries for the two corridor sections, while Hyderabad Mail reported on 24 Sep 2026 that tender notifications had been issued. The larger package covers the existing Hyderabad–Vijayawada route from Malkapur on Hyderabad’s outskirts to Nandigama. The proposal is to expand the four-lane road to six lanes and build service roads alongside it.

The reported length of that package is 181.30 km. The section passes through or near important Telangana and Andhra Pradesh travel points including Choutuppal, Chityala, Narketpally, Suryapet, Kodad and Nandigama. The civil-work bid is described as a build-operate-transfer package, but a tender is a procurement step; it is not the same as a final award or a construction commencement order.

The second package concerns the Vijayawada–Machilipatnam side of NH-65. Hyderabad Mail reported that part of this stretch would retain the existing four-lane highway while service roads are developed, with the remaining section proposed for six-laning. This means the latest tender activity should not be read as confirmation that every kilometre between Hyderabad and Machilipatnam will immediately become six-lane.

What changes for drivers now

Nothing changes immediately for a person travelling on NH-65. The current carriageway, tolling arrangements, FASTag deductions and route access remain the baseline until NHAI issues a construction schedule or a traffic-management notice. The sources reviewed do not announce a revised toll fee, a new toll plaza or a change to the FASTag system.

During any future construction phase, road users may see temporary diversions, narrowed shoulders, speed restrictions or slower movement near work zones. Those are possibilities to watch for, not current instructions. NHAI has not published a confirmed start date in the material reviewed, and the tender process still has to move through evaluation, award and project approvals.

For a current trip, use FuelPrice’s Hyderabad–Vijayawada toll-charge guide as the route-cost reference, while checking any official travel advisory before departure. The proposed widening does not by itself change the toll amount shown for today.

Why the corridor matters

NH-65 is a key road link between Hyderabad and the coastal Andhra region. It carries daily intercity traffic as well as goods movement toward Vijayawada and the Machilipatnam side. More lanes and service roads could eventually separate local access from through traffic, reduce conflict at busy settlements and make freight movement more predictable. Those are intended infrastructure benefits, not measured savings available to drivers today.

For readers planning the existing corridor, the Hyderabad to Vijayawada road-trip guide remains useful for current route planning and stops. It should be read alongside live advisories because a future work package can alter travel times without changing the underlying toll structure.

Approval status: proposed, not final

Hyderabad Mail reported that the project file still requires approval from the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs. A 1 Sep 2026 TV9 Telugu report said the Public-Private Partnership Appraisal Committee had cleared the proposal and that the next major approval was pending. Together, these reports point to a project that has moved forward in appraisal and procurement but is not yet fully cleared for execution.

That distinction matters because a tender notice does not promise that every proposed component will be built exactly as described. Alignment, package boundaries, construction dates and traffic arrangements can change through approvals and contract documents. FuelPrice will treat any future toll revision or travel restriction as a separate update only when it is officially notified.

What drivers and operators should watch

An official CCEA decision and any subsequent NHAI or Ministry of Road Transport and Highways approval notice.
The contractor award, appointed date and construction schedule for the Malkapur–Nandigama package.
Traffic-management plans, service-road access and diversion notices before work reaches a familiar commuter stretch.
Any separate notification on toll rates or FASTag collection; the current tender reports do not announce one.
Fuel and time budgets for current trips. The fuel cost calculator can estimate the present trip cost, while the road-trip planner can help compare distance and stop options.

Bottom line

NHAI’s new NH-65 tenders are a meaningful step toward widening parts of the Hyderabad–Vijayawada–Machilipatnam corridor, especially the 181.30-km Malkapur–Nandigama package. They do not yet change what motorists pay or how they use the route. Until approvals, awards and construction notices arrive, drivers should plan around today’s road and toll conditions and treat the six-laning as a proposed future improvement.