The long traffic jams that plague Delhi-NCR every day could soon be history. Four important highway and tunnel projects rapidly developing in the region are giving a new dimension to infrastructure. These plans will significantly reduce travel time and improve connectivity between Delhi and nearby cities.
These projects are progressing rapidly due to coordinated efforts of the Ministry of Road Transport, the governments of Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). Its main objective is to connect Delhi to major cities like Gurgaon, Noida and Faridabad in a fast and seamless manner, thereby reducing pressure on the congested roads of the NCR region.
Elevated Expressway From Dhaula Kuan To Manesar
A major part of this transformative initiative is the proposed elevated expressway from Delhi’s Dhaula Kuan to Manesar. It is proposed to reduce the excessive pressure on the Delhi-Jaipur Expressway. The plan is close to final approval after high-level discussions between Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and Rao Inderjit Singh.
Once constructed, the expressway will serve as a faster and alternative route for daily commuters and long-distance travellers, reducing travel time significantly.
Dwarka-Vasant Kunj Tunnel
In southwest Delhi, an underground tunnel of about 5 km is being built between Dwarka and Vasant Kunj. The tunnel will start from Shiv Murti (Mahipalpur) and go up to Nelson Mandela Road (Vasant Kunj). The six-lane tunnel will be constructed by the NHAI at a cost of Rs 3,500 crore.
The project has received the green signal from Union Minister Gadkari, and Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has called it a major step towards solving the traffic problems of the region.
Yamuna Pushta Road To NH-9
In another ambitious project, Yamuna Embankment Road is planned to be connected to NH-9, thereby providing easy access to the upcoming Noida International Airport. NHAI will start construction work after getting approval from Noida Authority and Uttar Pradesh Irrigation Department.
The plan has two options under consideration, an eight-lane ground-level expressway or a six-lane elevated road. This route will be built parallel to the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway along the Yamuna and will benefit around 10 lakh people.
UER-2: Delhi Gets A Third Ring Road
The most recent achievement among these projects is the Urban Extension Road-2 (UER-2), which was recently inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This 75-km long, six-lane highway will act as Delhi’s third ring road.
This road will not only ease urban commuting by connecting the northwest, west and southwest parts of Delhi, but will also strengthen connectivity with states like Punjab, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir and Uttarakhand.
