Centre clears ₹700-cr CRF funds to upgrade roads in Delhi

The Union Road Transport and Highways Minister has committed to providing ₹700 crore from the Central Road Fund (CRF) to upgrade and beautify roads in Delhi. This funding will be beneficial for road-owning agencies such as the Public Works Department and Municipal Corporation of Delhi as they work to improve road infrastructure in the city. The minister also directed the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to bear the cost of upgrading and maintaining all roads under its jurisdiction in Delhi. The NHAI will also cover the cost of upgrading the stretch between Mahipalpur and Dhaula Kuan, which is being carried out in a mission mode under the supervision of the lieutenant governor. Several roads in the New Delhi region and leading to the Delhi airport are being revamped in preparation for the G20 summit and other events during India's G20 presidency.

Two NHAI projects, the Dwarka Expressway and Urban Road Extension-II, both with a December 2023 deadline, have been delayed due to a lack of permissions from the Delhi government's environment and revenue departments. The transport minister also raised concerns about the delays in various central government road infrastructure projects caused by pending permissions from Delhi government departments.