MoRTH clears ₹6,393-cr NH projects in Haryana

Union transport ministry has approved 11 projects worth ₹6,393 crore for the development of national highways in Haryana. The projects, which are being built by the Union transport ministry, will be given full support by the state government. Necessary support for taking possession of land at village Khatiwas in Charkhi Dadri district for construction of Ismailabad-Narnaul Expressway will be provided. The Union Minister also assured to remove encroachments on Faridabad bypass so that construction of DND Sohana Expressway is expedited. Besides several underpasses that have been planned to improve road connectivity and smooth flow of vehicular traffic, a few of the 11 projects include East-West Expressway from Dabwali to Panipat worth ₹5,000 crore. Construction of this will open up the western part of Haryana with faster connectivity with the Meerut region of UP and eastern part of Haryana. The Union transport minister directed NHAI to explore feasibility of the new highways.

The projects include Pehowa-Kurukshetra road up to NH-44 as National Highway and construction of Kurukshetra bypass at an investment of ₹618.5 crore, including land acquisition worth ₹283.8 crore. Pehowa to Kurukshetra road connects two major arteries of Haryana like Ambala-Delhi Highway (NH-44) and Ambala-Hisar Highway (NH-152) as it traverses through Kurukshetra. Construction of Kurukshetra bypass would lead to decongestion of internal roads and segregation of traffic and will also facilitate the movement of people from Patiala, Pehowa area to Haridwar where the total tentative length of corridor is 30 km. The ministry has directed NHAI to include the project in Bharatmala Phase-II including Kurukshetra bypass. Construction of interchange on Eastern Peripheral Expressway to link Palwal-Aligarh National Highway (NH-334D) in Palwal district will be undertaken at ₹65 crore. Construction of an interchange at this location would give additional traffic to EPE which will result in additional toll collection. Further, construction of a new National Highway starting from Faridabad bypass and ending at EPE interchange near Chainsa village has been approved for ₹225 crore.