After a long wait of over eight years, the 135-km-long Eastern Peripheral Expressway — connecting Kundli-Ghaziabad-Palwal — may finally see the light of day. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will open the tenders on August 6, and award work within a week thereon.

“In order to complete the work on time, authorities have taken a decision to divide the entire 135-km stretch into six sections. The Ministry is also mulling the idea of providing incentive to the contractors to ensure timely completion of work,” said an official from the Ministry of Roads, Transport and Highways.

“The entire project is estimated to be completed in two-and-a-half years from the date of award of contract. It will be given out on EPC (Equipment, Procurement, Construction) mode where the Government bears the entire cost of construction. The Centre will fund the project,” he said. 

Minister for Road and Highways Nitin Gadkari is expected to convene a high-level meeting with contractors to ensure speedy and timely completion of the stretch.

The Rs6,000-crore Eastern Peripheral Expressway project was proposed in 2005, after a Supreme Court (SC) order to decongest the national Capital by diverting the heavy traffic to the Outer Ring Road.

The project, which would take at least 70, 000 vehicles off city limits, was originally planned to be completed by 2010, and costs of which were to be borne by the Delhi Government, but it never took off due to  cost escalation and land acquisition issues.

The Centre sprung into action after a rap from the SC earlier this year, which ordered the Centre to get the project moving within three months. The Cabinet approved the project last week.

Earlier this week, the Haryana Government, which is responsible for the development of Western Peripheral Expressway-the other half of the Outer Ring Road connecting Kundli-Manesar-Palwal spanning five districts- gave its nod for constructing 83.32 km section of 136 km stretch.

The project is expected to complete in the next two years.