The much-delayed peripheral highway projects to decongest the national Capital are slated to be ready by the year end, all equipped with state-of-the-art technology and facilities. While the Eastern Peripheral Expressway (EPE) will be ready by August 2017, the Western Peripheral Expressway (WPE) may take a few more months.
Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, who undertook an aerial survey of the EPE on Friday, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi will dedicate to the nation the Rs 11,000-crore 135-km-long access-controlled six-lane expressway anytime this year, and WPE may start by year-end.
“Sixty per cent of the work on the EPE project between Kundli and Palwal has been completed. Efforts are on to wind it up by August,” Gadkari said.
Once the EPE is ready, vehicles headed for Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh will not have to enter Delhi. The same will be true for reverse journeys.
After completion and becoming fully operational, the Peripheral Expressways will see the diversion of around two lakh vehicles that daily pass through Delhi right now, reducing both traffic congestion and pollution. Gadkari said EPE will set a benchmark in highway construction by being environment-friendly with world-class safety features and smart/interactive infrastructure.
The Peripheral Expressway Project comprises two expressways — WPE and EPE connecting NH-1 and NH-2 from the Western and Eastern sides of Delhi. The EPE and WPE constitute one combined project forming a Ring Road around Delhi with a total length of 270 km. About 183 km of it passes through the State of Haryana whereas the remaining 87 kms passes through UP.
The EPS passes through Sonepat, Baghpat, Ghaziabad, Gautam Budh Nagar, Faridabad and Palwal in Haryana and UP. The proposed alignment crosses river Yamuna at Khurrampur/Khata in UP and Faizpur Khadar in Haryana and also crosses the river Hindon. A 53 km stretch between Manesar and Palwal was opened for public use last April.
Gadkari said that the Centre has requested the Haryana Government to meet the August completion target for the WPE project. However, the State anticipates a delay by a few more months due to some issues. The Minister said he was hopeful that the entire Ring Expressway around Delhi-NCR would be fully operational this year.
“I have also written to the Delhi Government to consider shifting cold storages, food stock sheds, and small industries, etc., located on the sides of the highway,” said Gadkari.
The project had faced resistance from farmers over land and other issues which have since been solved by giving higher compensation. The Supreme Court has directed police chiefs of UP and Haryana to provide adequate security for the expeditious completion of the project.
The project will have smart and intelligent Highway Traffic Management Systems (HTMS) and Video Incident Detection Systems (VIDS) besides a closed tolling system in which the collections will be made only on the distance travelled and not on the entire length.
In addition to automatic traffic management systems, landscaping, and solar panel lightening systems, the stretch will also have wayside amenities like motels, toilets and petrol pumps at regular intervals along the expressway on either side.
“Most likely the EPS project will be completed in August this year. We have spent a huge Rs 5,900 crore on land acquisition, which is much higher than the cost of constructions at Rs 4,418 crore. The Prime Minister had mandated 400 days for its completion, and we together with Haryana Government are sure of meeting the deadline set by the PM,” Gadkari said briefing the media at the Palwal spot.
Gadkari was joined by Baghpat lok Sabha MP Satyapal Singh, Faridabad MP Krishna Pal Gujjar and NHAI Chairman YS Malik besides media persons during the inspection of the project sites in Delhi, UP and Haryana.