Work on Faridabad section of e-way to take months: Officials

Bijendra Ahlawat

Faridabad, October 10

The Faridabad section of the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway passing through the city is set to be delayed by months. Targeted to be completed in August this year, the project has been able to see 70% of the work so far, consuming 26 months against the required 24 months. The authorities hope to complete it by April next year, it is revealed.

Making efforts

The work is in full swing. Efforts are being made for an early completion of the work.

VK Joshi, Project Director, NHAI

The passage which was to be delivered by August 10 this year is likely to take another six to seven months as 30% of the work is yet to be done on the 13-km-long passage, connecting Sector 37 and Sector 65 here, according to a sources in the NHAI and the district administration.

Power lines hinder work

Power lines are hindering the work pace. The work to remove these is yet to be completed. An official

“As the appointed date released for this passage had been August 10, 2021, it was required to be completed within a period of 24 months,” said an official, seeking anonymity. The appointed date is released after clearance of all the hurdles and handing over of the right of way (ROW),according to officials concerned.

While CM Manohar Lal, in a meeting last month, had directed the officials to complete it by December 31, the project is not likely to be finished this year, it is claimed.

“One of the hurdles blamed for the poor pace has been the presence of the HT power lines, according to sources. Though it has been taken up with the department concerned, the work to remove the same is yet to be over,” said an official. He said the work to shift power lines got halted in the summer season as it threatened to disrupt the power supply to a large part of the city.

“Commuters are suffering in the wake of no proper slip roads and signage. The construction has also emerged as one of the major reasons behind dust and air pollution,’’ said AK Gaur, a city resident.

Though a provision of imposing penalty exists for the delay or missing the deadline, no agency or department has been penalised so far, according to officials.

VK Joshi, Project Director, NHAI, said, “The work is in full swing. Efforts are being made for an early completion of the work.”

Another senior official said the project is expected to be over in April next year.

Starting from Ring Road-DND junction in New Delhi, the expressway will culminate at the KMP interchange near Sohna in Gurugram. Its foundation was laid on March 1, 2019.