Expressing annoyance over slow pace of work, the Prime Minister Office (PMO) has directed chief secretaries of Haryana and Delhi to speed up the work of widening 70-km stretch on National Highway -1 from Mukarba Chowk in Delhi to Panipat in Haryana.
The Rs 2,128.72 crore project was delayed due to land acquisition, permission for axing trees, and encroachments.
Motorists face regular traffic jams due to slow pace of widening of the stretch. The stretch is scheduled to have 29 minor bridges, 10 flyovers, five vehicular underpasses, five passengers underpasses, 11 foot overbridges and 15 major road junctions on the highway.
Top sources said the PMO has directed top officials of the Haryana Government to acquire and hand over the land required and also complete the tree felling work. Delhi Government’s senior officials have been directed to remove encroachments and complete the demarcation of land work by September 15. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had reviewed the progress of the projects on August 29 and expressed annoyance over the delay in its completion.
“The PMO has also directed the Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways (MoRTH) to coordinate with the State Governments to speed up the project work. It has also directed officials to resolve the issue of tree cutting with State Governments,” sources said. The highway will have service lanes on both sides and it was likely to be completed by April 2019.
“It is estimated as many as 200 trees are yet to be axed in Haryana due to non-issuance of permission from the Environment Ministry. The environmental clearance for some areas in Haryana and Delhi sections is yet to be received,” sources added. According to GV Shenoy, a traffic expert, the widening of NH-1 will provide commuters hassle-free travel on the stretch.
However, the construction work has created problems for motorists at several places, mainly at crossings over the drains in Sonepat district. At these points, the existing facility of six lanes has been reduced to just two lanes and vehicles get stuck or move at a snail’s pace. Another traffic problem is being faced at the Kundli and Rai crossing as the construction of an overbridge is in progress.
Under this project, the old four-lane bridges developed on Murthal, Ganaur and Samalkha would be expanded. Once the project is complete, there will be no diversion on the stretch of the NH. The major road junctions would be linked to main roads without affecting the traffic.
Once operational, this would be third highway after Eastern Peripheral Expressway (135 km) and Western Peripheral Expressway (135km) that helps to reduce traffic burden on the Capital’s roads. The Expressways are also under construction. All the traffic, which is not bound to Delhi, will use this road resulting in ease of traffic in Delhi. To decongest NH-1 further, the Centre has approved the construction of another 90-km highway from NH-1 to Patiala and Sangrur from Delhi, which will go via Pehowa and Kurkshetra.
