Delhi govt hands over Munak Canal elevated road project to NHAI

Delhi government hands over the 20-km Munak elevated corridor project to NHAI, aiming to reduce travel time by 40% and ease congestion.

New Delhi

The Delhi government will build a 20-km elevated road along the Munak Canal. (HT Archive)

With the initial assessment for the Munak elevated corridor complete, the Delhi government has decided to hand over the construction of the ambitious 20-kilometre corridor to the National Highways Authority of India, senior government functionaries said.

The project seeks to build the elevated road right alongside the Munak Canal, to connect Inderlok to Bawana in northwest Delhi. Once completed, the signal-free corridor is expected to reduce travel time by up to 40% and ease pressure on some of the city’s most congested traffic junctions, including Mukarba Chowk.

A senior government functionary said that, as per the assessment, the cost of the construction of the elevated corridor will be around ₹4,700 crore. “The project is being handed over to the National Highway Authority of India for execution as the agency has expertise in land acquisition and execution of such massive highway projects,” the functionary said.

The state government will provide around ₹4,700 crore to NHAI for the project. While NHAI will be responsible for execution, the Public Works Department (PWD) will oversee funding arrangements, land clearance, and coordination with local agencies. Officials said the construction is expected to take around three years after the work is awarded.

The corridor will have influence areas of Inderlok Metro, Shalimar Bagh, DTU, Badli, Bawana Industrial area and it will also connect Urban Extension Road-II (UER-II) to Delhi’s Outer Ring Road network and ease access to the northern and western parts of the city. The project was also discussed in a high-level meeting in June, chaired by Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari and attended by Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta.

PWD minister Parvesh Verma said, “Munak Canal elevated corridor project will significantly improve the connectivity of outer Delhi, while reducing the traffic load on existing arterial roads. Delhi government, NHAI and other stakeholders are working together to deliver a large-scale infrastructure project to Delhi. It will help improve urban mobility and meeting the needs of the growing city.”

A government official said that the project has been discussed with the Haryana government, which has agreed to it in principle.

Meanwhile, NHAI officials did not respond to HT for comments.

Built between 2003 and 2012 as part of the Western Yamuna Canal system, the Munak Canal conveys over 1,000 cusecs of Yamuna water daily to Delhi via two offshoots—the Carrier Line Channel (CLC) and the DSB. The canal is a key water supply channel running from Haryana’s Munak to carry water from the Western Yamuna Canal. The canal system is 102 kilometres long, of which about 82 kilometres is in Haryana, and approximately 20 kilometres falls in Delhi.

Once operational, the elevated corridor is expected to significantly benefit several densely populated and industrial areas. Commuters from the Bawana Industrial Area, Badli, Khera Khurd, Shalimar Bagh, Delhi Technological University (DTU), and Inderlok Metro station are likely to see smoother and faster travel.

Improved connectivity is also expected to boost industrial movement and daily commuting in these regions, said an official.