NewDelhi : The Prime Minister Narendra Modi today launched the newly built Phase-I of Delhi-Meerut Expressway, called India’s first smart and Green 6–lane expressway in the Delhi NCR Region. He’ll also inaugurate the Eastern Peripheral Expressway later today.
The first of these is the 14 lane, access controlled, package –I of the Delhi-Meerut Expressway, stretching from Nizammudin Bridge to Delhi UP Border. This 8.360 kms stretch of National Highway has been completed in a record time of 18 months as against the earlier expected construction period of 30 months, at a cost of about Rs 841.50 crore . It includes a 6-lane Expressway and 4+4 Service lanes, i.e. 14-lane facility from Nizamuddin Bridge in Delhi to UP Border. This is the first National Highway in the country with 14 lanes, and has several features that would help reduce pollution. These include a 2.5-metre-wide cycle track on either side of the highway, a vertical garden on the Yamuna Bridge, solar lighting system and watering of plants through drip irrigation only. The foundation stone for the project was laid down by the Hon’ble Prime Minister on 31.12.2015.
The Delhi- Meerut Expressway project aims to provide faster and safer connectivity between Delhi and Meerut and beyond this, with Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. The total length of the project is 82 km, of which the first 27.74 kms will be 14-laned, while the rest will be 6-lane expressway. The project is likely to cost Rs 4975.17 crore. This will be the first expressway to have dedicated bicycle tracks on the nearly 28 km stretch between Delhi and Dasna. The project involves construction of 11 flyovers/interchanges, 5 major and 24 minor bridges, 3 ROBs (rail over bridges), 36 vehicular and 14 pedestrian underpasses. It will also have elevated section of 5.91 kms. Once the entire project is complete, it will take just 45 minutes to travel from Delhi to Meerut. The second project is the 135 km long Eastern Peripheral Expressway (EPE) , stretching from Kundli on NH 1 to Palwal on NH 2. PM had laid the foundation for this project on 5th November 2015.