Centre takes up Rs 34K cr road projects to decongest Delhi: Govt

The Centre said it has taken up highway projects worth Rs 34,100 crore to decongest the national capital and sought Delhi government's support in expediting the work.

Chairing a high-level meeting on 'Projects on Decongestion of Delhi, Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari said a comprehensive exercise for decongesting arterial road network of national highways connecting NCT Delhi was on.

He further said that projects were being expedited and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has taken up comprehensive development and decongestion of NH-1, NH-8 and NH-24. The NH-1, NH-2, NH-8, NH-10 and NH-24 converge in Delhi.

Briefing the media after the meeting, Minister of Environment, Forests and Climate Change Harsh Vardhan said, "The Centre has taken up projects worth Rs 34,100 crore to decongest Delhi that includes Rs 6,000 crore project on NH24."

He also sought cooperation from the Delhi government, saying the Centre's approach is positive in developing the arterial network and the state government should come forward and cooperate.

Other stakeholders like Haryana and Uttar Pradesh have assured their full support in the initiative, he said.

Reviewing the projects during the meeting it was felt that for complete decongestion, interconnectivity among National Highways need to be improved for which a few more roads are required to be developed, officials said.

The issues pending with the Delhi government included permission to fell trees for Dhaulakuan junction as it required cutting of 1,900 trees.

The Delhi government was also asked to expedite land acquisition for Dwarka Expressway.