In a move to decongest New Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR), the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is working on at least half a dozen road projects. Works on two projects have already been started and detailed project reports (DPRs) for the remaining ones are being finalised.
The projects include construction of 13-km stretch from Delhi-Haryana Border to Sohna Chowk on National Highway 248A on Personal Rapid Transit System. The RFQ (request for quotation) is under evaluation stage.
The construction of elevated U-turns on Delhi-Gurugaon Border (Sirhaul) is another project. A 32.200-km long road in Gurugram-Greater Southern Peripheral Road (GSPR) from NH-8 near Ambience Mall to NH-236 meeting NSG Camp at NH-8 has also been proposed. This will work as an alternative route from Delhi-Gurgugram Border to Manesar. This 90-metre wide road is proposed to resolve the impending traffic load in the city. Once the project is completed, it will reduce traffic drastically on the NH-8 and GSPR.
According to sources, detailed project report is being prepared for the construction of a full cloverleaf at Kherki Daula Toll Plaza (40.5 km) to connect Dwarka Expressway.
The NHAI’s another mega project, Dwarka Expressway from Shiv Murti in Delhi to Kherki Daula in Gurugram, is expected to reduce the traffic load on Delhi-Gurugram expressway. The road will emerge as an alternate route between Delhi-Gurugram.
The 28 km long Dwarka Expressway will pass through UER-II (parallel to Terminal-3 of Delhi Airport) up to Barthal Chowk (junction of Sector 25-26 Dwarka). It will then take a left turn and go straight up to Kherki Daula in Gurugram and culminates on NH-8, around one km before Kherki Daula toll plaza at SPR, CPR junction. Eighteen kilometers of this road will fall in Gurugram and the rest in Delhi.
The improvement of T-Junction at Dhaula Kuan Metro Station and Defence area on Carriapa Marg on NH-8 is in progress. Similar work is in progress for constructing flyover and underpass at IFFCO Chowk, Signature Tower and Rajiv Chowk on Delhi-Gurgaon Section of NH-8 in Haryana. The project is expected to be completed by March 2019.
According to NHAI officials, it is expected that after the completion of all these projects the non-destined vehicles will not enter Delhi/NCR, which would help Delhi and NCR to reduce the burden on the roads as well as traffic congestion.
Presently, 2.5 lakh non-destined vehicles enter into Delhi every day.
The authority is also working on a project of 195-km Delhi-Jaipur Expressway. The alignment for the expressway has been finalised and land acquisition has started. Once completed, the distance between Delhi and Jaipur will be reduced up to 40 km. The project will cost Rs 18,000 crore.
Another project Delhi-Meerut Expressway is being finalised. It will be completed in four phases. These include Nizamuddin bridge to UP border, UP border to Dasna, and Dasna to Hapur at an estimated cost of Rs 3,159 crore.
To reduce traffic congestion in the national Capital, the NHAI in its report ‘Decongestion of Delhi’ has proposed construction of Urban Extension Road (UER-I) to connect Rajokri, Bijwasan, Najafgarh, NH 8, NH 10 and NH 1. The Eastern leg of UER-I will take off from Maan Anandimayi Marg and will bypass Mehrauli and Rajokri. The road will have Right of Way (ROW) of 100 metre. The second phase of Urban Extension Road (UER-II) will connect Vasant Kunj through existing Dwarka link Road, Najafgarh linking NH 8, NH 10 and NH 1. The road will have ROW of 100 metre. Another NHAI plan is for the construction of link Road from Vasant Kunj to Aya Nagar on Guruguram-Mehrauli (NH-236) road. This will serve as an extension of Vivekananda Marg and Nelson-Mandela Marg. It will provide direct connection between NH-236 and NH-8 and connect Bhikaji Cama Place, Aya Nagar and NBRC gate via Vasant Kunj.