Widening of NH-24 won't start before August

New Delhi: Widening of NH-24 will start in August after the developers for two stretches - Delhi to UP Gate and Dasna to Hapur - tie up funds for the projects. However, the expansion of UP Gate to Dasna stretch in Ghaziabad will start not before the year end as NHAI is re-tendering the work.
"We received only one bid for this stretch and hence we are inviting bids again. Since it's crucial that the widening of the entire stretch completes simultaneously, I have directed officials to squeeze the time limit for submitting bids to 30 days instead of 45 days," said NHAI chairman Raghav Chandra, who took a round of the entire corridor on Friday.
He said the project will be completed in two-and-a-half years from the date of start of actual work. "People have been asking questions why no progress is visible on the ground. However, the preparatory work has started," he added.
Sources told TOI that one of the major concerns for the developers is shifting of utilities such as electricity, sewage and water pipelines. In fact, the tight schedule for completion and mammoth task of utility shifting are being seen as the main reasons for lukewarm response of bidders for UP Gate to Dasna stretch.
Chandra said they are resolving all issues with the Delhi government for shifting some of the slums for road expansion and shifting of utilities. "We have got the documents detailing that we have 100% land available for expansion. Delhi deputy CM Manish Sisodia has said that he will demolish a structure that is on our land near Ganesh Nagar. We hope this will motivate more people who have built up structures on NHAI land," the highway authority chief said.
He added that the NHAI will soon approach the NGT for cutting trees for the expansion work. "The proposed bridges on Yamuna will have 7-7.5 meters height as the river has been declared as a waterway. We have provided enough clearance for vessels to ply," Chandra said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi in December 2015 had laid the foundation stone of the project. It has been divided into four packages - 14 lane expressway/ NH from Sarai Kale Khan to Gazipur, 14-lane expressway/ NH from Gazipur to Dasna and six-lane highway from Dasna to Hapur.