Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Haryana section of Dwarka Expressway on Monday, March 11, 2024. The 19-km-long stretch is part of the 29-km-long expressway that connects Delhi and Gurugram. The expressway is India’s first elevated highway and the first single-pillar flyover with eight lanes. It is expected to reduce travel time and ease traffic congestion between the two cities.
What is Dwarka Expressway?
Dwarka Expressway is a high-speed expressway that starts from Shiv-Murti on the Delhi-Gurugram Expressway and ends near the Kherki Daula Toll Plaza, passing through Dwarka Sector 21 in Delhi, Gurugram border, and Basai. It has four multi-level interchanges, such as tunnels or underpasses, an at-grade road section, an elevated flyover, and a flyover above flyover. The expressway has a total length of 29 km, out of which 19 km falls in Haryana and 10 km in Delhi.
The expressway is being built by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) at a cost of about Rs 9,000 crore. It is designed to meet the region’s traffic requirements for the next 20-25 years. The expressway will also provide direct access to the upcoming India International Convention Centre (IICC) in Dwarka Sector 25 in Delhi and the Indira Gandhi International Airport through a shallow tunnel.
Why is it important?
Dwarka Expressway is a vital part of the Centre’s Rs 60,000 crore highway development plan in the National Capital Region (NCR) aimed at decongesting the capital. The expressway will offer an alternate route to commuters travelling between Delhi and Gurugram, who currently face traffic jams on the Delhi-Gurugram Expressway and MG Road. The expressway will also benefit residents of Dwarka, Gurugram, Manesar, and nearby areas.
According to NHAI officials, the expressway will reduce travel time between Delhi and Gurugram by half. It will also reduce pollution levels by cutting down on fuel consumption and vehicular emissions. The expressway will have sophisticated safety mechanisms, such as automated toll collection, efficient transport system (ITS), CCTV cameras, emergency call boxes, and crash barriers.
What are the challenges?
The construction of Dwarka Expressway has faced several delays and hurdles since its conception in 2006. The project was initially planned to be completed by 2010 but got delayed due to land acquisition issues, environmental clearance issues, litigation cases, and coordination issues between different agencies. The project was also affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdowns.
The Delhi section of the expressway is still under construction and is expected to be completed by December 2024. The completion of this section is crucial for the smooth functioning of the entire expressway as it connects it with the airport and the IICC. The Delhi section also involves complex engineering works such as building a tunnel under Palam Vihar and a flyover above flyover at Dwarka Sector 21.
What are the benefits?
The inauguration of the Haryana section of Dwarka Expressway is a major milestone for the development of infrastructure in the NCR. The expressway will boost connectivity, mobility, economic activity, tourism, and employment opportunities in the region. It will also improve the quality of life of millions of people who commute between Delhi and Gurugram every day.
The expressway is also a symbol of India’s engineering prowess and innovation. It showcases the country’s first elevated urban expressway and the first single-pillar flyover with eight lanes. It also features the longest (3.6 km) and widest (eight-lane) urban road tunnel in India.
The expressway is a testament to the vision and leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who has inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for 112 projects worth around Rs 1 lakh crore on Monday. These projects include national highways, airports, metro rail projects, water supply projects, sewage treatment plants, smart city projects, etc., across various states and union territories.
The expressway is also a result of the cooperation and coordination between the central government, the state governments of Haryana and Delhi, the NHAI, and other stakeholders. The expressway is an example of how the Centre and the states can work together to achieve the common goal of building a new India.
Recent Blog : Mahtari Vandan Yojana Launched by PM Modi in Chhattisgarh