Chattarpur’s Mandi Road expansion project awaits approval
Nearly a year after the Delhi Government announced plans to hand over the widening of the crucial Mandi Road in Chattarpur to the NHAI, work on the project has yet to begin.
The 8.8-kilometre stretch, which connects Mehrauli in south Delhi to Faridabad in Haryana, remains heavily congested during peak hours, serving as a key link for commuters travelling between Gurugram and the Chattarpur area.
In April 2025, Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh announced that the project would be handed over to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and that the road would be declared a national highway.
However, the proposal to facilitate the handover is still awaiting approval, delaying the commencement of on-ground work. There was no response from the PWD minister on the matter.
“Given its role in facilitating freight movement to industrial zones and connecting to national highways, the project has broader national and regional significance beyond local urban transit,” an official said.
According to an initial project report, the existing road is narrow and flanked by farmhouses, residential properties and individual shops.
The scale of land acquisition required prompted the Delhi government to propose transferring the project to NHAI, which is considered better equipped to handle such processes.
“We are trying to expedite the work on the widening of Mandi Road. There are some trees and other issues that are being worked out,” Gajainder Yadav, Chhatarpur MLA, said.
Mandi Road begins near the Chattarpur metro station on MG Road and extends to Faridabad Road, crossing into Haryana. Owing to its strategic importance and rising traffic demand, authorities have proposed that the stretch be declared a national highway and linked to NH-148A.
“In view of its strategic importance, existing and future traffic demand and its direct connectivity with NH-148A, Mandi Road of total length may be considered for declaration as a national highway,” the plan stated.
The road, however, continues to face heavy congestion during morning and evening rush hours, with delays in approvals and land acquisition keeping the long-pending widening project on hold.
The road was conceptualised in 2012, and the central government agreed to pay almost 25 per cent of the total cost from its Urban Development Fund.
If constructed then, the road would have helped motorists avoid NH-48 today when commuting to Gurgaon and back, a nightmare at the moment because the lanes have been closed to facilitate the construction of two underpasses and a flyover to connect the highway with the Dwarka expressway.
Passing through some rural areas of the city with posh farmhouses, residential properties and individual shops on both sides, the width of Mandi Road is very inconsistent, varying at many spots between eight and 18 metres.
The road markings, streetlights, footpath and traffic signals are similarly inconsistent. Government officials said that PWD has been asked to widen the 9-km stretch to a consistent 30 metres and properly align it with the main MG road.
