Rs 31,930 crore initiatives to decongest Delhi and minimise traffic: Nitin Gadkari

Road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari gave out details about a pilot project that aims to decongest Delhi.

Close to Rs 32 crores will be invested in a move to minimise vehicular pollution, decongest Delhi and make public commuting smoother and hassle-free. 

The Dwarka Expressway shall be developed further at a cost of Rs 6,000 crore.

The Eastern Peripheral Expressway and the Delhi-Meerut Expressway will also get a facelift for Rs 12,000 crore and Rs 6,000 crore respectively. 

The first leg of the Delhi-Meerut Expressway will be inaugurated soon which will include India's first 14-lane highway and a 2.5 metre-wide cycle track.

The expressway is likely to reduce the travel time between Delhi and Meerut to just about 45 minutes.

The 135-km-long Eastern Peripheral Expressway envisages signal-free connectivity between Ghaziabad, Faridabad, Gautam Budh Nagar (Greater Noida) and Palwal.

"We have undertaken projects worth Rs 31,930 crore to decongest Delhi and the NCR region and minimise vehicular pollution, which has become a major problem," the minister said.

"Work has already been awarded for decongestion of Dhaula Kuan-airport corridor to be executed at a cost of Rs 260 crore besides detailed project report (DPR) is in progress for Rs 5,000 crore new ring road project (UER II) for Delhi," Gadkari said.

As per the proposed plan, the Gurgaon-Sohna road will also get an elevated highway, a six-lane road along with service roads at a cost of Rs 1,500 crore. 

Master Plan for Delhi has proposed UER II, which will connect National Highways 1, 10 and 8 to facilitate better traffic flow on Ring Road and Outer Ring Road.

"90 per cent progress has been achieved in the development of major injunctions on NH 8 in Gurgaon to be executed at a cost of Rs 1,000 crore and construction of a flyover at Hero Honda Chowk entailing Rs 170 crore cost," the minister said.

(With inputs from PTI)