Hero Honda to Umang Chowk: Works begins for road, metro project

A GMDA official said that the utility shifting along the stretch will cost a total of nearly ₹100 crore.

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has started shifting utilities along the 2.5-kilometre stretch between Hero Honda Chowk and Umang Bhardwaj Chowk, paving the way for the construction of a six-lane road and a flyover, officials said. The work is crucial as the upcoming Gurugram metro line also passes through this stretch, and both the state government and NHAI have been under pressure from metro authorities to prioritise the work, they added.

(Representative image) There are five utilities in this section that include stormwater drains, sewage pipelines and others, which are of GMDA, and one power substation of the DHBVN and a high-tension power line of HVPNL. (AFP)

According to Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) officials, the proposed metro line will be built on the extreme left side of the carriageway, making timely road and utility upgrades essential.

“The work of shifting the utilities on this stretch has started, and we are targeting completion of this work in the next six months. There are five utilities in this section that include stormwater drains, sewage pipelines and others, which are of GMDA, and one power substation of the DHBVN and a high-tension power line of HVPNL,” said Yogesh Tilak, project director, Gurugram-Rewari PIU.

Tilak added that road and flyover construction will commence only after all utilities are relocated.

To be sure, utility shifting refers to the relocation existing infrastructure (like power lines, gas lines, water pipes, etc.) as part of a new project or expansion of an existing one.

A representative of the NHAI contractor carrying out the work confirmed that construction of a 3.5-metre-wide and 1.5-metre-deep stormwater drain has already begun. “The work of shifting the high-tension power line will also start soon,” the contractor added.

A GMDA official said that the utility shifting along the stretch will cost a total of nearly ₹100 crore. This includes ₹33.11 crore for relocating water supply lines, ₹8.18 crore for shifting master sewer lines, ₹15.57 crore for stormwater drainage lines, ₹23.24 crore for moving high-tension lines as part of the NH-352W road upgrade, and ₹20.29 crore for relocating a 66KV high-tension power line.

“The upgradation of this road is a top priority, as this project will not only decongest a busy stretch but is also necessary because the upcoming metro line from Millennium City metro station to Udyog Vihar will pass through this section,” said a senior GMDA official.