The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has initiated preparatory work for the first extension of the Urban Extension Road-II (UER-II), linking it to the Delhi-Saharanpur Expressway. The project aims to decongest Delhi’s inner and outer ring roads, NH-44, and central routes by diverting long-distance and freight traffic.On September 22, NHAI invited bids for consultancy services to conduct a feasibility study and prepare a detailed project report (DPR) within five months, at a cost of Rs 20.32 million. The proposed extension will run 17 km from the Alipur-end of UER-II to Tronica City on NH-709B (Delhi-Saharanpur-Dehradun Expressway), with an estimated cost of over Rs 33.50 billion.The Delhi decongestion plan, which envisions a network of highways, tunnels, and high-mobility corridors, states that connecting UER-II with the expressway will reduce congestion on NH-48, NH-44, and the city’s Ring Roads, including the Barapullah elevated corridor, while providing faster connectivity for traffic from Haryana and Rajasthan heading towards Dehradun.The feasibility study will cover traffic analysis, alignment options, topography, lane configurations, utilities like power and water lines, forest clearance requirements, and a socioeconomic impact assessment. The second phase of the DPR will focus on structural design, hydrological and soil investigations, intersection design, drainage planning, traffic signage, cost estimation, and tolling schemes.Addressing safety concerns, NHAI plans to tackle the issue of stray cattle along the corridor. The consultant will identify suitable sites for cattle shelters, prioritizing surplus land within the existing or proposed right-of-way, and include fodder storage, feeding areas, and amenities for caretakers.Once completed, the UER-II extension will serve as a key bypass for vehicles bound for north, west, south, and southwest Delhi, as well as Gurugram, routing traffic via UER-II and Dwarka Expressway and bypassing central roads. In the long term, a second 65 km eastern extension is planned to connect Tronica City to Noida via Ghaziabad.News source: Hindustan Times