Ranchi, Oct. 15 -- The 63.17-km Palma-Gumla four-lane highway in Jharkhand has opened to traffic, while construction of a 32.37-km greenfield highway linking the Jharkhand-Chhattisgarh border with Gumla is underway, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) said on Thursday.

The Palma-Gumla project, covering NH-43 from km 26.000 to km 89.170, was built at an estimated cost of Rs 1,908.43 crore, including civil works and pre-construction expenses. The completion certificate is expected to be issued by January 31, 2027, according to NHAI.

NHAI Regional Officer Santosh Kumar Arya said the four-lane road would improve connectivity, facilitate safer travel and support local trade, agricultural transportation and economic activity.

The a...