NHAI set to develop secondary service lane along UER-2

NHAI will develop service lanes along Urban Extension-2 Road to enhance connectivity, responding to local protests against tolls and access issues.

New Delhi: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is set to develop secondary service lanes along the Urban Extension-2 Road, to improve local connectivity of regions located along the stretch.

NHAI has invited bids for the project, which has been estimated at around ₹121.57 crore (HT)

UER-2, also dubbed as the third ring road, spans around 75.7km and was launched in August last year. Villagers along the expressway have carried out multiple protests against toll rates and access for locals citing lack of service lanes along the key infrastructure project.

NHAI has invited bids for the project, which has been estimated at around ₹121.57 crore. The project to develop two-lane roads along the carriageway is likely to be completed in nine months, officials said.

The firm developing these roads will also be responsible for their maintenance for 10 years. According to officials, 54.21km of the total UER-2 falls within the territory of Delhi. This specific stretch encompasses residential colonies including several villages in Najafgarh, parts of Dwarka, Mundka and Bakkarwala in northwest Delhi, and Rohini in north Delhi.

Concerns over toll collection on UER-2 have grown over the past year, with residents of Dwarka, Najafgarh, Mundka and urban villages in north-west Delhi staging protests and submitting petitions to authorities. Residents argued that in the absence of parallel service roads or alternative routes, even short daily trips to nearby markets, schools and workplaces required using the tolled expressway. Protesters gathered near toll plazas on several occasions, demanding exemption or concessional rates for local commuters.

“These demands were initially directed at the Delhi government, who subsequently forwarded these requests to the Centre, and the NHAI has now given its approval for the construction of the service road,” a government official said.

“Detailed project report (DPR) has been finalised, and the only remaining step is to award the work to a suitable agency. Service road will run parallel to sections of the UER-2 where access points are currently limited, forcing local commuters to use the main carriageway and pay toll charges even for short-distance travel,” an official said.

UER-2, also known as the city’s third ring road, was developed as a high-speed corridor to decongest arterial roads in Delhi and improve connectivity between national highways radiating from the capital.

The project is expected to include dedicated slip roads, signage, drainage provisions and boundary protections to integrate the service lane with existing road infrastructure. NHAI is also coordinating with the Delhi government and local civic agencies to ensure connectivity with internal colony roads.