Nitin Gadkari inspects Delhi-Mumbai expressway

Nitin Gadkari, the Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways, conducted an inspection of the construction progress at the Faridabad Bypass site and the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway. The inspection covered National Highway-148 NA, along with the ongoing development of Package 1 and 2 of the Delhi-Noida-Delhi (DND) Sohna Road. This ambitious project, part of the Bharatmala initiative, is estimated to cost Rs 35.65 billion and will span 33 kilometres. The roads are being developed under a hybrid annuity model. Minister of State for Power and Heavy Industries, Krishan Pal Gurjar, was also present during the inspection. Gadkari, accompanied by National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) officers, examined the Delhi-Mumbai Vadodara Link Expressway, offering crucial guidance to the authorities. The Deputy Commissioner, Vikram Singh, welcomed the Union Ministers in Faridabad. The DND-Faridabad-Sohna and Jewar Highway (NH-148NA), stretching over a 60 km corridor, initiates near the DND flyover, passes through Faridabad, crosses NH-19 near Ballabhgarh Bypass and Kail village, and concludes at the Peripheral Expressway near Sohna, intersecting with the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal (KMP) section of the west. The Delhi Mumbai Expressway, divided into three construction packages (PKG 1, 2, and 3), aims to provide direct connectivity for traffic heading towards North-East Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Mumbai on NH-48 (old NH-8), Kanpur, Lucknow, Kolkata, thereby alleviating congestion in Delhi through NH-19 (old NH-2). Additionally, connectivity to Jewar International Airport in the NCR region is under development. The current physical progress of the project stands at 73%, with an anticipated completion date in December 2024. Package 1, which commenced in August 2021, is 83% complete and is expected to finish by May 2024. Package 2 starts near Jaitpur Pushta Road and ends near the junction of Sector 62-65 dividing road with HSVP. Package 3 begins near Sector 62-65 dividing road and concludes at the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal (KMP) intersection. The construction of the Expressway near Sohna was finished in May 2023, seamlessly connecting major highways such as Delhi-Noida-Delhi Flyway, Delhi-Meerut, Kundli-Manesar-Palwal (KMP), NH-2 (Delhi-Agra), Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, and Jewar Airport Connectivity Road. The extensive infrastructure includes 6-lane access-controlled highways on both sides of the Brownfield stretch, service roads, 10 flyovers, 6 underpasses, 11 elevated U-turns, and 13 small bridges, incorporating 1 ROB, 1 RUB, 6 bus bays, and 102 box culverts.