Delhi-Mumbai Expressway project: Nitin Gadkari reviews progress, asks NHAI to speed up work

Faridabad, February 14

Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari took stock of the progress of the construction work (Package-I and Package-II) at the DND-Sohna highway, a part (spur), of Delhi-Mumbai Expressway today. He directed officials of National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to ensure completion by the due date.

Gadkari stopped in the Sehatpur area to inspect the progress of the 13-kilometre Package-II (PKG-II) stretch of the expressway in the city. Discussing the roadmap with the officials concerned, Gadkari asked them to pace up and meet the May deadline. It has been revealed that Union Minister of State for Heavy Industries and local MP Krishan Pal Gurjar accompanied Gadkari during the visit that lasted an hour. It may be recalled that the work on PKG-II of the expressway is running behind schedule and has already missed the initial deadline of August 2023. While the new deadline has been set to May, the progress of work at the site stands at 83 per cent till date.

The 60-km corridor starts near the DND flyover in Delhi, passes through the bypass road in the city and crosses NH-19 (old NH-2) near Kail gaon to terminate near the intersection of Kundli-Manesar-Palwal (KMP) and Delhi-Mumbai Expressway near Sohna

in Gurugram.

The expressway is being developed in three packages — PKG-I, PKG-II and PKG-III. PKG-I starts at the junction of DND-flyway and Maharani Bagh Ring Road. It passes through Khizrabad, Batla House and Okhla Vihar on Yamuna’s West Bank, Canal Colony and Jasola Vihar. Construction work on the project has been underway since January 2022. Officials concerned claim that the project is 73 per cent complete and is likely to be completed by December 2024.

PKG-II starts near the junction with Jaitpur-Pushta road and terminates at the junction with Sector 62-65 dividing road of HSVP. Construction work of the package began in August 2021, while the current progress is 83 per cent, it has been claimed.

The PKG-III starts near Sector 62-65 dividing road and terminates at a junction near the intersection of the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal (KMP) section of the Western Peripheral Expressway (WPE) and the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway near Sohna. The work on this part was completed in May 2023. The total cost of the abovementioned packages was Rs 4,463 crore.

“Inspection of the Faridabad Bypass site and construction work of PKG-I and PKG-II of the DND-Sohna Highway (NH-148 NA), a spur of the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, spanning 33 kilometres which was made at a cost of Rs 3,565 crore was done today,” wrote Gadkari on his X handle after the visit.

Status update

• The work on PKG-II of the expressway is running behind schedule and has already missed the initial deadline of August 2023. The new deadline has been set to May, the progress of work at the site stands at 83 per cent till date calim officials concerned.
• Construction work on PKG-I has been underway since January 2022. Officials concerned claim that the project is 73 per cent complete and is likely to be completed by December 2024.