Major infra upgrade planned for Delhi-Jaipur highway by 2023 to improve traffic

The NHAI has decided to build four major flyovers, five road over bridges, seven minor bridges, and 11 bus bays, among other works

In a bid to improve the traffic congestion on the Delhi-Jaipur highway, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has plans to spend about ₹450 crore for upgrading the infrastructure on the highway by 2023. NHAI officials said that the authority has decided to build four major flyovers, five road over bridges, seven minor bridges, and 11 bus bays, among others.

At present, there are several locations on the highway such as Manesar, Bilaspur, and Dharuhera, which witness heavy congestion during peak hours. (HT Archive)

At present, there are several locations on the highway such as Manesar, Bilaspur, and Dharuhera, which witness heavy congestion during peak hours.

Manoj Arya, project director, NHAI, said that the authority has already floated a tender for the infrastructure upgrade. “The last date for submitting the tender is September 30. The work on this highway will be completed in one and half years, and it would greatly improve traffic movement and prevent accidents,” said Arya.

Arya said that presently Manesar, Bilaspur, Dharuhera and Kapriwas, all in Haryana, are among the most congested and accident-prone areas on the highway. “The construction of elevated roads, underpasses and road over bridges will prevent accidents to a great extent. The congestion at these points will also reduce,” he said.

Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari, who was in Gurugram on Thursday, also said that to improve this road, the ministry had already approved several projects at Manesar, Bilaspur and Kapriwas at the cost of ₹250 crore. Apart from this, several other improvement works will be carried out by NHAI, he said.

“I have a dream to build the first electric highway on this road so that buses and trucks can move using electricity. All these plans are part of our vision for futuristic transport,” Gadkari had said.

A senior NHAI official, who wished anonymity, said that a road project to bypass traffic at Dharuhera has also been approved. “This will also ease traffic woes at this location,” he said.

With the primary focus on improving safety at these locations, NHAI officials said that adequate road safety measures will be taken. These include roadside signs, overhead signs and curb mounted signs along the identified stretches on the highway. The new structures will also have provision of W-beam crash barrier at the high embankment locations, the officials said.

Referring to the proposed projects on the Delhi-Jaipur highway as a positive step, Union minister and Gurugram MP Rao Inderjit Singh said that this infrastructure upgrade was much needed. “These flyovers should come up fast. But another important need is to recarpet the entire highway to ease travelling. The authority must also improve the condition of service roads,” he said.