NHAI, civic bodies prepare for opening of Ggm section of Dwarka e-way

Inauguration of the expressway by PM Modi is likely to happen soon, but the final date will be confirmed later

Gurugram: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the Gurugram administration have started preparing for the inauguration of the Gurugram section of the Dwarka expressway to be held in March. In the run up to the inauguration, teams from the Gurugram administration and police visited the Dwarka expressway on Thursday to start logistical preparations and assess security requirements for the event.

Commuters entry has been closed going towards Gurugram to Dwarka Sector-27 till the inauguration of the Gurugram section of the Dwarka expressway. (Parveen Kumar/HT Photo)

Gurugram deputy commissioner Nishant Yadav on Thursday said that no exact date had been finalised yet, but it would be done soon. “We inspected the site today to see the preparations,” he said.

A senior Gurugram police official aware of the matter said that teams led by deputy commissioner Nishant Yadav and city police chief Vikas Arora visited the expressway to take stock of the ground situation. “The teams from administration, police and NHAI visited the expressway to identify probable sites for inauguration, construction of a temporary helipad, and parking space for the rally if that is also organised. We are preparing for the inauguration, but confirmation of the date is awaited,” said the official, who was part of the survey.

NHAI officials on Thursday confirmed the development and said that inauguration of the expressway by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to happen soon, but the final date will be confirmed later.

A senior NHAI official said, “We have received directions that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Gurugram section of Dwarka expressway. The final date is likely to be intimated soon but we are getting ready.”

Dwarka expressway is being built at a cost of ₹9000 crore and it is being built in four packages, while package three (Delhi-Gurugram border to Basai ROB) and four (Basai ROB to NH-48) are in Gurugram and are 19-km in length, package one (Mahipalpur to Dwarka Sector 21) and two (Dwarka Sector 21 to Delhi-Gurugram border) are in Delhi and measure around 10-km in length.

The highway authority also said that they had deployed crew to clean the expressway, install tri-colour lights on poles, and paint the footpaths and fix signages. “The Gurugram section of the expressway will be opened for traffic, but I am not aware of the possible connectivity with Delhi as the toll plaza near Chauma village is not ready yet. The decision regarding opening of the Delhi section has not been conveyed to us as it is under construction still,” said the senior NHAI official.

According to an official of the highway contractor of package one and two in Delhi, around 90 per cent work has already been completed in the Delhi section, and connectivity between Haryana and Delhi has been achieved. “A team of officials from the NHAI and PMO had visited the expressway to assess the project last Saturday before inauguration and we had taken them from Gurugram to Sector 23 through the expressway. The road can be used by commuters between Gurugram and Dwarka in Delhi once it is opened for traffic, but that call will be taken by NHAI,” he said.