PM Modi Inaugurates Two Major Highway Projects In Delhi Worth Rs 11,000 Crore | India News

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday inaugurated two significant highway infrastructure projects in the capital, the Delhi segments of the Urban Extension Road-II (UER-II) and the Dwarka Expressway, together valued at Rs 11,000 crore. These developments mark a major step in the Union government’s efforts to tackle chronic traffic congestion in the national capital and enhance connectivity across the National Capital Region (NCR).

#WATCH | Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates two major National Highway projects, the Delhi section of the Dwarka Expressway and the Urban Extension Road-II (UER-II).

(Source: DD News) pic.twitter.com/v13owXV8pf

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“These initiatives reflect Prime Minister Modi’s vision of creating world-class infrastructure that ensures seamless mobility,” the Prime Minister’s Office stated.

Officials anticipate that the new corridors will help reduce travel times, divert freight traffic away from the city centre, and provide relief to Delhi’s overburdened Inner and Outer Ring Roads.

UER-II: Delhi’s Third Ring Road

The flagship development is the 54.21km stretch of UER-II, which runs from Alipur through Bawana, Rohini, Mundka, Bakkarwala, Najafgarh, and Dwarka to Dichaon Kalan. The project, costing ₹5,580 crore, forms part of the 76km total corridor, which includes an additional 21.5km stretch in Haryana.

Designed as Delhi’s third ring road under the Delhi Master Plan Road 2021, UER-II will connect to key hubs such as Bahadurgarh and Sonipat. The six-lane highway is expected to ease congestion at major traffic points including Mukarba Chowk, Dhaula Kuan, and NH-9.

The project is anticipated to reduce travel time between the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport and various locations in southwest and northwest Delhi by 40 to 60 percent, according to government estimates. It is also set to enhance connectivity between Chandigarh, Gurugram, and IGI Airport.

Several sections, including those around Najafgarh, Mundka, and Alipur, have already opened in phases, bringing benefits to previously underdeveloped areas such as Karala, Alipur and Bawana.

The corridor improves access to south Delhi, Noida, and Faridabad, and significantly boosts connectivity to Dwarka, Mahipalpur, and Vasant Kunj.

Declared a national highway, UER-II is being developed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) in five packages, with funding for Delhi’s portion provided by the Delhi Development Authority.

Dwarka Expressway

The second project inaugurated is a 10.1 km stretch of the Dwarka Expressway, built at a cost of ₹5,360 crore. This bypass of the NH-48 Delhi-Gurugram Expressway includes a tunnel and an underpass near the airport, offering direct connectivity from IGI Airport to UER-II, Gurugram, and Dwarka.

It links directly to Yashobhoomi in Dwarka Sector 25 and is integrated with multi-modal transport systems including the Delhi Metro’s Blue and Orange lines, the upcoming Bijwasan railway station, and the Dwarka cluster bus depot.

The new expressway section has already reduced travel time for commuters in Dwarka, Mahipalpur, Vasant Kunj, and Najafgarh, while significantly improving access to Gurugram and the airport.

The Delhi section of the Dwarka Expressway includes two parts: 5.9 km from the Shiv Murti intersection near the airport to Dwarka Sector 21, and 4.2 km from Sector 21 to the Delhi-Haryana border.

The 19 km Haryana section was inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi on 11 March 2024. The full 28 km expressway was completed at a total cost of Rs 8,611 crore.

Sustainable Construction

In a notable environmental initiative, two million tonnes of waste from the Ghazipur landfill were utilised in the construction of UER-II, reducing the height of the landfill mound by seven metres.

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari previously highlighted the use of such material during the Delhi Assembly election campaign.

“We are using inert materials recovered through biomining of legacy waste for highway construction to promote sustainable infrastructure,” an NHAI official stated.

“These inert materials such as soil, silt, stones and construction debris are stable and suitable for embankment filling, subgrade layering and service roads,” the official added.

The same material is also being used in other projects, including the DND–Faridabad–Ballabgarh–Sohna bypass, which aims to reduce landfill volumes, conserve natural resources, and lower both construction costs and carbon emissions.

Political Endorsement

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, who visited the site on Saturday to oversee preparations along with senior officials and party leaders, described the projects as a “historic gift” for the capital.

“The commencement of UER-II will play a vital role in reducing congestion, improving industrial corridor network, lowering vehicular pollution and thereby contributing to a cleaner and healthier environment,” CM Gupta said.

“UER-II is not just an infrastructure project; it is an investment in the future of Delhi. It will improve traffic flow, cut travel time drastically, and uplift the quality of life for lakhs of people living in Delhi and NCR,” she added.

Highlighting the long-distance benefits, she noted that UER-II will link with the Delhi-Jaipur National Highway, KMP Expressway and the Gurugram-Sohna Highway, which further connects to the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway.

“Travel to Chandigarh, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Jaipur, and even Mumbai will become faster and more convenient. It is truly a transformative project,” Gupta said.

“With this network, UER-II will emerge as a backbone of high-speed connectivity, linking Delhi not just with NCR but with the entire nation,” she concluded.

Experts’ View

While the projects are part of a broader strategy to decongest Delhi, transport experts have previously raised concerns about whether such road expansions provide lasting relief or simply shift bottlenecks to new locations.

(With Inputs from IANS)

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