New Delhi: The Centre has approved three highway infrastructure projects worth Rs 14,850 crore aimed at easing traffic in Delhi and improving regional connectivity to cities like Katra and Dehradun. The projects, to be executed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), will extend and link existing expressways to offer alternative routes and reduce vehicular pressure on the Capital’s arterial roads.
Delhi-Katra Expressway to Get Extended Connectivity via UER-II
One of the key initiatives involves a 20-km extension of the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway (NE-5) from the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal (KMP) Expressway to the Urban Extension Road (UER)-II, which will connect traffic coming from Jammu & Kashmir, Haryana, and Punjab to Delhi and the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway. This extension, estimated to cost Rs 4,000 crore, aims to divert long-distance traffic from NH-44, offering alternate access to key locations like IGI Airport and Gurgaon through Dwarka Expressway.
According to officials, a Detailed Project Report (DPR) is under preparation. Once approved, tenders for civil works will be floated. The new route is also expected to reduce congestion in the capital and help control vehicular pollution.
UER-II to Extend Towards Delhi-Dehradun Expressway
The second project involves extending UER-II also known as Delhi’s third ring road by 17 km near Alipur to connect with the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway (NH-709B) near Tronica City in Ghaziabad. The estimated cost of this stretch is Rs 3,350 crore.
This link will offer a bypass to NH-44 and Delhi’s Outer and Inner Ring Roads, enabling smoother movement for traffic heading towards different parts of Delhi and neighbouring regions. The extension is also aimed at channeling freight and long-distance traffic away from the city’s core roads. Bids for DPR consultancy are currently under evaluation.
Discussion about this post