Big infra push for Delhi: Centre approves 3 new projects to link capital with Katra, Dehradun

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The Central government has approved three major infrastructure projects worth Rs 14,850 crore to improve road connectivity to and from Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR). These new projects will help people reach places like Katra in Jammu and Dehradun in Uttarakhand much faster, while also easing traffic on Delhi’s busy roads.

The upcoming projects will decongest major stretches in South East, South West and East Delhi, like the Barapullah flyover, Ring Road, and Outer Ring Road (ORR), besides other internal roads, and connect areas like Dwarka, ORR, Sarai Kale Khan, Kalindi Kunj and other key arterial stretches to Noida, Ghaziabad, Faridabad and Gurgaon, The Indian Express reported.

Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway Extension

The first major project is the extension of the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway (also known as NE-5). This expressway will now be connected to Delhi’s Urban Extension Road-II (UER-II) through a 20-km-long stretch. This extension, which will cost around Rs 4,000 crore, will connect Kundli-Manesar-Palwal Expressway with UER-II and further link to the Dwarka Expressway and Delhi-Mumbai Expressway.

This means people coming from Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir, and Haryana can directly travel to Delhi, Gurgaon, or IGI Airport without going through the city's core. It will also act as an alternative to the often-clogged NH-44 highway. Once completed, this route will save travel time and reduce pollution by keeping long-distance vehicles away from central Delhi.

The government has already started working on the Detailed Project Report (DPR), and once it's ready, construction tenders will be issued.

UER-II Extension to Delhi-Dehradun Expressway

The second project involves extending the UER-II near Alipur to connect with the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway (NH-709B) near Tronica City in Ghaziabad. The 17-km-long extension is expected to cost Rs 3,350 crore.

Once built, it will act as a bypass for NH-44 and Delhi's Inner and Outer Ring Roads. Traffic heading to West Delhi, North West Delhi, South Delhi, and Gurgaon will be able to use UER-II and the Dwarka Expressway instead of crowding the city’s main roads. Officials expect this to significantly ease traffic in the Capital.

UER-II is almost complete, and it is likely to be thrown open to the public before August this year, according to the IE report. Officials said that connecting UER-II to the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway will also decongest the Capital by diverting long-distance and freight traffic away from central roads, easing pressure on NH-48, NH-44, and ring roads, along with the Barapullah drain elevated corridor.

UER-II to Noida via Ghaziabad and Faridabad

The third and largest project is a 65-km extension of UER-II from the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway to Noida. It will pass through Ghaziabad and Faridabad and cost around Rs 7,500 crore.

This highway will connect major roads such as the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway, Delhi-Meerut Expressway, Noida-Greater Noida Expressway, DND-Faridabad highway and Yamuna Expressway.

It will also connect towns like Loni, Baghpat, Ghaziabad, Noida, and Faridabad to North, West, and South West Delhi. Notably, it will offer an alternate route for freight and intercity traffic, keeping heavy vehicles off Delhi’s internal roads like Sarai Kale Khan and Kalindi Kunj, helping reduce jams and pollution.

According to The Indian Express, the bids for preparing the DPR for this route are being reviewed and are likely to be awarded by June 20.

All three projects will be handled by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI). These plans were reviewed last week in a meeting attended by Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, and Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena.