In a big infrastructural boost for commuters of the NCR, the Centre on Monday threw open the 22-km long stretch between Dasna and Hapur in Ghaziabad, a part of the Delhi-Meerut Expressway project.
The 82-kilometre long Delhi-Meerut Expressway connects the national Capital with Meerut. On its completion in the next three four months, a total of Rs 8,346 crore would have been spent on the full project, which would reduce the travel time between the two cities to 45 minutes against the existing four hours.
“We will try to complete the entire Delhi-Meerut Expressway by January 2020, two months ahead of the timeframe estimated earlier by the officials,” said Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari while dedicating the Dasna-Hapur stretch to the nation.
The Minister said the project will change the lives of people in the region and give boost to the development of the nation. “Handloom and handicrafts sectors in UP will also benefit from the new metro line,” Gadkari said.
Allaying fears about financial crisis stalling highway projects, Gadakri said there is no shortage of funds for the highway development programme across the country.