Gadkari expects Dwarka Expressway to be completed before Independence Day next year

The road transport and highways minister was reviewing the progress work on the 29-km expressway, which connects Dwarka in Delhi to Gurugram.

Dwarka Expressway, being constructed under the Bharatmala Project at a cost of Rs 8,662 crore, would be completed before Independence Day next year, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said in a statement.

''The Minister made an inspectional visit to Dwarka Expressway. He reviewed the progress of India's First Grade Separated Urban Expressway, Dwarka Expressway.

''He expressed hope that the expressway, being constructed under the Bharatmala Project and with a cost of Rs 8,662 crore, would be completed before the Independence Day next year,'' the statement said.

Gadkari said it will be the first-ever elevated Urban Expressway in India. Its construction will also immensely help to reduce air pollution in the Delhi-NCR region.

The Delhi-Gurugram section of National Highway-8 is presently carrying traffic of over three lakh passenger car units (PCUs), which is much beyond the design capacity of this 8-lane highway, leading to severe congestion. With the construction of the present project, 50 to 60 per cent of traffic on National Highway-8 will be reduced, the minister added.

The project will also provide around 50 thousand direct or indirect employment opportunities, he said.

Being built in four packages, the total length of the expressway is 29 kilometres out of which 18.9-kilometre length falls in Haryana while the remaining 10.1-kilometre length is in Delhi.

It starts from Shiv-Murti on National Highway-8 and ends near KherkiDaula Toll Plaza.

Once complete, the minister said, it will be an ''engineering marvel'' of the country with the longest (3.6 kilometres) and widest (8 lanes) urban road tunnel in India. The project's road network will also comprise of four levels, i.e. tunnel/ underpass, at-grade road, elevated flyover and flyover above flyover.

''The project also comprises India's first 9-km long 8-lane flyover (34-metre wide) on single pier with 6-lane service roads. There will be a fully automated tolling system with 22 lanes toll plaza. The entire project will be equipped with an Intelligent Transportation System (ITS).

''The project has a total estimated consumption of two lakh MT of steel, which is 30 times that of the Eiffel Tower. The total estimated consumption of 20 lakh Cum of Concrete is six times of the Burj Khalifa building,'' Gadkari said.