Delhi-NCR To See Major Relief From Traffic Congestion With Centre's Rs 62,181 Crore Initiative

The Centre is aiming to relieve traffic congestion in Delhi, estimating the cost to be Rs 62,181 crore.

Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Friday (7 April) said the ministry has initiated 16 road projects covering 862 km in the area, of which some have already been completed on schedule.

The ministry under Gadkari's leadership is working to make Delhi roads dust-free by investing Rs 1,500 crore while also improving drainage and the overall landscape.

The minister also shared details about the construction of an expressway, underpasses, and a flyover that spanned along the Eastern Peripheral, costing Rs 12,000 crore in 2018.

This was followed by the construction of a flyover and an underpass at the Delhi-Gurugram stretch costing Rs 1,000 crore in 2019.

The ministry also finished building eight-lane corridors from Dhaula Kuan to IGIA in 2020, and an elevated U-turn close to Ambience Mall, costing Rs 270 crore and Rs 163 crore, respectively.

The ministry has also spent Rs 8,000 crore on the 95-km carriageway, which has significantly eased traffic flow, according to Gadkari.

According to the minister, the bypass from Rangpuri has commenced construction and will cost Rs 3,000 crore. The project is expected to be finished by the end of 2024.

Once completed, it will connect Vasant Kunj (Nelson Mandela Marg) to Dwarka Expressway, NH-48 and IGI Airport through a four-level interchange at Shiv Murti on NH-8.

Additionally, works have started to ensure connectivity between IGIA to Jewar airport and to Delhi Mumbai Expressway, with a total allocation of Rs 2,000 crore.

Around 70 per cent of work related to the construction of structures to improve connectivity between Delhi and Jaipur, 73 per cent of works of 4-laning of Gohana to Sonipat, 97 per cent of Delhi to Panipat and 80 per cent of Dwarka expressway have been finished.

The pace of work in DND Interchange-Kalindi Kunj-Faridabad-Ballabgarh-Sohna stretch, the 6-laning of UER-II (Urban Extension Road) and 6-laning of Akshardham to the intersection of Eastern Peripheral Expressway is similar, according to Gadkari.