Govt steers clears ₹4,420-cr highways in twin metros

The transport minister laid the foundation stones for twin national highway projects in Mumbai and Delhi metropolitan cities involving a combined investment worth ₹4,420 crore. In Delhi he launched ₹2,820-crore high-speed signal-free 31.3 km long six lanes highway corridor linking Akshardham to Eastern Peripheral Expressway (EPE) on Baghpat road intersection. While in Mumbai, he laid the foundation stones for two highway projects worth ₹1,600 crore in the metropolitan region including the eight-laning the Vadape-Thane bypass (of NH-3) and another four-laning of the road connecting Shahapur, Murbad, Karjat and Khopoli, falling on NH-3 and NH-4. In this connection, MEP Infrastructure Developers already received the letter of appointed date from NHAI for widening of the existing four lanes Vadape-Thane stretch into eight lanes where the project is being executed on Hybrid Annuity Mode. In Delhi road starts from Akshardham and crisscross Geeta Colony - Shastri Park - Khazuri Khas-Delhi and UP border at Mandola EPE intersection. The project is being developed in two packages - first a 14.75 km stretch from Akshardham to Delhi-UP border and the other 16.57 km long from Delhi and UP border to EPE intersection where 19-km stretch will be elevated. The project includes the construction of 3+3 lane service roads on either side of the highway, eight new underpasses, seven ramps connecting major roads, 15 major junctions, 34 minor junctions, and over-bridges at Delhi-Shahdara, New Delhi-Anand Vihar railway lines and Dilshad Garden-ISBT Metro Line, said an official spokesperson.