Delhi-Gurgaon expressway opened for traffic

The Rs 1,000 crore 27 km-long Delhi-Gurgaon expressway was thrown open to public on Wednesday, more than three weeks after it was completed.

The Rs 1,000 crore 27 km-long Delhi-Gurgaon expressway was thrown open to public on Wednesday, more than three weeks after it was completed.

HT Image

The expressway, inaugurated by the Union Minister for road transport and highways TR Baalu along with Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, is expected to cut short the travelling time between Gurgaon and Dhaula Kuan by at least an hour.

But vehicle-users have to pay a toll for travelling through the stretch, which would be collected at three toll plazas located in Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi-Gurgaon border and 42nd milestone.

"We have received the official clearance from the consulting body RITES for collecting toll, and the process will start soon," Chairman, National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), N Gokulram said.

Though the expressway was ready by December 31, which was the last day of its official deadline, some final touches were left to be given to the flyover at Rao Tula Ram Marg. With its inauguration, the project finally saw completion after several revisions in deadlines in the past.

Apart from the nine flyovers, the stretch consists of four pedestrian subways and one completed steel foot over bridge (FOB).

The project has been implemented on build, operate and transfer (BOT) basis. DS Constructions, the private company that has constructed the project, would maintain the stretch and collect toll for a 20-year period, which also includes the construction period.