Help for expressway pedestrians

Working on various options to improve crossover movement of pedestrians on the Delhi-Gurgaon expressway, the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has finally decided to construct five underpasses on the last leg of this 27.7 km long stretch between Rajiv Chowk and terminal Toll Plaza (Kherki Daula), at an approximate cost of Rs. 300 crore.

Working on various options to improve crossover movement of pedestrians on the Delhi-Gurgaon expressway, the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has finally decided to construct five underpasses on the last leg of this 27.7 km long stretch between Rajiv Chowk and terminal Toll Plaza (Kherki Daula), at an approximate cost of Rs. 300 crore.

HT Image

The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has, however, dropped the costlier option of constructing an elevated track on the existing expressway.

At present, there are just two underpasses constructed on the 27.7 km stretch between Rao Tula Ram Marg (Delhi) and Kherki Daula.

The 9.5 km-stretch between Rajiv Chowk and Kherki Daula has just one underpass for residents of Sector 10, 10A, 9, 34, 35, 37 and nearby villages.

Commuters are forced to take five to seven-km-long detours to their destinations and pedestrians risk their lives while crossing the busy stretch on foot.

“We have finally decided on one of the three options we had been working on for improving crossover movement between the 9.5-km-long Rajiv Chowk and Toll Plaza (Kherki Daula) stretch,” R S Singh, chief project director, Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway and chief general manager, NHAI told Hindustan Times.

Out of the expense of Rs 300 crore, the Haryana that would share the expenses with NHAI to the tune of at least 50 percent of the total cost, Singh said. “This option would not only take lesser time, it would also not hamper vehicular traffic,” he added.

The underpasses are likely to come up at Naharpur-Rupa and Hero-Honda, Khandsa, Narsingpur and Begumpur Khatola crossing.