In a major move to decongest Delhi, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has approved a 155-km six-lane highway project worth Rs 4,405 crore under the Bharatmala scheme.
The roads include Akshardham to Loni Border at Delhi-Up Border (14.75 kms), Delhi-UP Border -Mandola-Eastern Peripheral Expressway (EPE) intersection (16.57 kms), EPE junction to start of Shamli bypass (61.4 kms) and start of Shamli bypass to Saharanpur bypass (62.7 kms).
In a letter to Delhi BJP President Manoj Tiwari, Union Road Transport and Highways minister Nitin Gadkari announced that the four projects have been approved by the ministry worth Rs 4405 crore to decongest the national capital.
The project Akshardham to UP Border and Mandola in Delhi-UP Border to EPE intersection will cover 31.32 kms and it will cost Rs 2900 crore. Currently, commuters from Western UP have to pass through the east Delhi areas such as Shastri Park, New Usmanpur, Khajuri Khas and Bhajanpura to reach Saharanpur highway that starts at Loni. The new highway will allow commuters to avoid the congested areas of east Delhi and reach the Saharanpur-bound national highway NH709B near Loni from the NH-24 directly.
The new roads will connect northeastern parts of the Delhi and facilitating those travelling to Shamli, Mandola and Saharanpur in western UP.
The road would start from the NH-24 near the Akshardham flyover and touch the Delhi-Saharanpur NH-709B near Garhi Jassi in Loni Dehat.
The proposed road would be aligned along the Noida Link Road and the Marginal Bund Road in Delhi and Baghpat Road in Uttar Pradesh (UP). In Delhi, the road would pass through Ramesh Park, Geeta Colony, Shastri Park, Sonia Vihar Extension and West Karawal Nagar. While in UP, it would pass through Ankur Vihar, Welcome City and Indrapuri before ending at the Pooja Pusta Police Chowki in Loni.
The stretch connecting Akshardham to Khajuri Khas is known for traffic bottleneck in the national Capital.
“The development of Akshardham-Geeta Colony-Shastri Park-Khajuri Khas-Delhi-UP Border at Loni have been approved to decongest the national Capital under Bharatmala projects”, Gadkari said adding that this road road has now been declared as National Highway no 709 B.
“The project is being given top priority. This road will be developed as six lane access controlled road with service roads on both sides”, he said.
“Further, from Akshardham to EPE intersection, there is a provision of 19 kms of elevated section which would help in minimizing acquisition of land and segreration of local traffic,” the letter read.
According to the ministry, the bids for the Akshardham to UP Border and Delhi-UP Border-Mandola to EPE intersection projects are being invited by next week. The work has been awarded for the project EPE junction to Shamli bypass that will cost Rs 725 crore. The project connecting Shamli bypass to Saharanpur bypass will cost Rs 780 crore.