Delhi–Meerut Expressway

Delhi–Meerut Expressway (Hindi: दिल्ली-मेरठ एक्सप्रेस वे) is an under construction 90 km long controlled-access expressway, connecting Delhi with Meerut via Dasna in Ghaziabad in India. While the present stretch of National Highway 24 (NH-24) up to Uttar Pradesh Gate will be widened to 14 lanes from the present eight, the road between UP Gate and Dasna will be also be fourteen-laned. The next phase of the expressway will be built on a new alignment from Dasna to Meerut—a six-lane stretch joining Meerut bypass.The 28-kilometre (17 mi) stretch between Nizamuddin Bridge and Dasna is one of the most congested in the NCR. The traffic flow is likely to increase considering dozens of new residential projects coming up along this stretch of NH-24.^[1] The total project cost is ₹78 billion (US$1.2 billion).^[2]

On 2 August 2015, after years of waiting, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has floated tenders for a 14-lane road on the critical section of NH-24—from Nizamuddin Bridge to Dasna (28 km)—a move which is expected to ease massive congestion on the stretch. The 22-km stretch of the Dasna-Hapur portion of the highway would be widened to six lanes. ^[3]

History

On 18 November 2013, it was confirmed that center not Uttar Pradesh government will build the much delayed Delhi–Meerut Expressway starting from Nizamuddin Bridge on Ring Road. Once complete, commuters will be able to reach Meerut in 45 to 60 minutes and cut travel time to Haridwar and Dehradun by almost an hour.^[1]

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) under the Narendra Modi government approved the Delhi–Meerut Expressway with construction of connected roads to be undertaken. "There will be six- to eight-laning of NH 24 (Hapur bypass), six laning of NH 58 (Delhi-UP border), six-laning of NH 235 (Delhi-UP). The total cost is about Rs 7,855.87 crore."^[4] The deadline set for the project is three years.^[5]

The expressway project concept was taken up by Transport minister Nitin Gadkari. Construction of Nizamuddin to dasna road is scheduled to begin on 31st dec 2015.^[6]

Progress

Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for 105 km long expressway on May 31, 2016. According to NHAI the entire construction work has been divided into three stages. The first stage will be from Delhi to Dasna (0-27.5 km or 14-lane), while the second stage will be from Dasna to Hapur (27.5 to 49.9 km) on NH-24 (six lane). The third stage will include construction of a 37-km-long new alignment, also called green field alignment. ^{[7] [8]}

See also

• National Expressway 2, Eastern Peripheral Expressway or KGP (Sonipat(kundli)-Ghaziabad-Palwal) is a proposed road which will bypass Delhi on the eastern side.
• Western Peripheral Expressway, a complementary and under implementation road bypassing Delhi on the western side, Sonepat-Kundli-Manesar-Palwal (KMP).

References