Haryana govt transfers land to NHAI to start construction of Dwarka e-way

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The Haryana government has handed over the entire stretch falling in Gurugram to National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for construction of Dwarka expressway.

After transferring a nine kilometer stretch between Delhi-Gurugram border and Basai, Haryana Shahari Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVK), formerly known as Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) has now transferred a 7.37 km long stretch to the NHAI, reported Times of India. This is part of the 8.77 km expressway segment between Basai and Kherki Daula.

Dwarka expressway is being built in five packages at an estimated cost of Rs 7,500 crore. These are a 5.3 km from Shiv Murti to RuB (package 1), a 4.2 km from RuB to Haryana border (package 2), a 10.2 km stretch from Haryana border to Basai RoB (package 3), 8.77 km long distance from Basai RoB to NH-8 – SPR intersection (package 4) and a 5 km long stretch for Western Airport Connectivity from Dwarka Expressway through tunnel (package 5).

The total length of the Dwarka Expressway is 29 km, of which 18.9km is in Gurugram and the rest in Delhi.

“The handover of land means construction of the expressway’s 18.9km portion in Gurugram can now begin, almost 11 years after the ambitious project was first announced,” the report noted.

There, however, continues to be hurdles in the government’s plans to connect Dwarka expressway with National Highway-8 due to unavailability of land on either side of the expressway.

According to the report, while HSVK is yet to acquire a 1.5 km long stretch near Kherki Daula village due to “legal hurdles” where the resolution seems “unlikely”, Delhi government is yet to give forest clearance.

“Recently, the PMO had held a meeting where it was decided that NHAI would seek forest clearance and permission for cutting trees from the Delhi government. NHAI is learnt to have already submitted the applications,” the report said.

Media reports suggest that work on Dwarka expressway could begin by early next year.