PM's renewed push to NH-24 Project

Stung by the unwarranted slow pace of the mega NH-24 project, the Prime Minister has decided to speed-up the project as it is currently facing multiple problems including encroachment and delay in securing eco-clearance for two bridges over the Yamuna River, said official sources, claiming that the PM is not happy with the snail's pace even after 10 months he laid down the foundation stone of the project. So much so that the one package of the project stretch-Delhi border to Dasna has not been awarded and NHAI is waiting for the environment clearance for expanding this section as well. Available reports suggested that the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has referred the case of building two parallel bridges along the existing ones on Yamuna, to its expert committee and is awaiting environmental clearance as 2014 NGT order restricts any construction on Yamuna floodplains without its approval. The sources added that the work for widening of Delhi border to Dasna section would be awarded shortly as NHAI has received four bids after re-floating tenders for the project. Beating the unending traffic snarls on one of the most congested highways, NHAI has rolled out a project to widen NH-24 by expanding the Nizamuddin to Dasna stretch to 14 lanes and Dasna to Hapur to six lanes.