The Haryana Government is working on a mega project to construct a highway along the Western Yamuna Canal from Palla Barrage in Delhi to Yamunanagar to decongest National Highway (NH)-1. Haryana Chief Minister Manoharlal Khattar has written to Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB), and Ministry of Road Transport and Highways to this effect. The Centre has asked the Haryana Government to prepare a detailed project report on the proposal.
Sources said that the proposed highway is expected to cross NH-1 at Karnal, NH-71; State Highway No.7, No.8 (Karnal Kaithal road), No.9 (Karnal-Kachwa-Samli-Kaul road), No.14 (Panipat-Jind road), MDR No. 114 (Kond- Munak-Salwan Asandh road), and other village roads. The highway would be 20 metre away from the river bed along the Western Yamuna Canal and its carriageway will be 100-metre wide.
The project would also include construction of four railways over bridges (ROBs) and 10 flyovers. As per initial estimate, the project will cost about Rs 1,000-1,500 crore.
According to sources, while Haryana will spend Rs 150 crore, the remaining funds would come from the NCRPB. “The detailed project report is expected to be ready soon,” sources added.
The first phase will connect NH-1 (Uchana lake), Karnal-Kachwa-Pehowa Road, Karnal Kaithal Road, Karnal Assandh-Hansi Road, Karnal-Munak Road, again NH-1 near Madhuban. It will cross Delhi-Ambala railway line for which ROBs shall be required.
The project to construct a highway along the Western Yamuna Canal from Palla Barrage in Delhi to Yamunanagar along the river Yamuna was conceptualised in 2014. The Haryana Cabinet had also approved fund to prepare a detailed project report.
“This will help develop further villages along the Western Yamuna Canal. The proposed project will decongest the traffic on the National Highway 1 in Sonepat, Panipat, Karnal and Yamunanagar. The new will not only reduce traffic jam on NH-1 but also provide an alternate route to commuters in Haryana and Delhi.
If constructed, this would be second highway in the State after Eastern Peripheral Expressway (135 km) and Western Peripheral Expressway (135 km). The two expressways are under construction. Both the expressways are said to have been completed 60 per cent till date. All the traffic, which is not bound to Delhi will use this road and this will ease out the traffic in Delhi.
To decongest NH-1 further, the Centre has approved to construct another highway from NH-1 to Patiala and Sangrur from Delhi, which will go via Pehowa and Kurkshetra. It will be 90-km stretch.
