New Delhi, Aug 17: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday inaugurated the Delhi section of the Dwarka Expressway and Urban Extension Road-II worth nearly Rs 11,000 crore to reduce traffic congestion in the national capital and its surrounding areas.
The two projects have been developed under the government’s comprehensive plan to decongest the capital, with the objective of improving connectivity, cutting travel time, and reducing traffic in Delhi and its surrounding areas.
These projects are expected to significantly reduce travel time from Sonipat, Rohtak, Bahadurgarh and Gurugram to IGI Airport when completely operational.
“Dwarka Expressway and UER-II will benefit people of Delhi-NCR…The government is making efforts to remove all difficulties of the people in Delhi,” Modi said after inaugurating the two projects.
The prime minister said the government is making Delhi a model of growth that reflects the spirit of a developing India.
“Dwarka Expressway and Urban Extension Road have been constructed exceptionally well. Following the development of the Peripheral Expressway, Urban Extension Road is now poised to significantly benefit Delhi,” he said.
Modi pointed out that what sets the Urban Extension Road apart is its unique contribution to addressing the city’s mounting garbage problem.
“Millions of tonnes of waste have been repurposed in a scientific and sustainable manner for its construction. This innovative approach has not only reduced the towering heaps of garbage but also turned waste into a valuable resource for infrastructure development,” the prime minister said.
He remarked that the consistent effort of his government is to make citizens’ lives easier.
Modi noted that this commitment is reflected in the party’s policies and decisions.
Referring to past governments in Haryana, the prime minister observed that there was a time when even a single appointment was difficult without influence or recommendation.
He highlighted that under the BJP-led government in Haryana, lakhs of youth have received government jobs through a fully transparent process.
Highlighting that the past government’s indifference towards development projects was not limited to Delhi-NCR, but was prevalent across the entire country, Modi pointed out that earlier, the budget allocated for infrastructure was very low, and even the sanctioned projects would take years to complete.
The prime minister emphasised that the current focus is on the rapid completion of projects, which is why initiatives like the Dwarka Expressway are now being realised.
He remarked that the substantial investment in these projects is not only creating facilities but also generating large-scale employment.
Speaking at the event, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said these two projects will reduce traffic jams in Delhi by 50 per cent.
The 10.1 km long Delhi section of Dwarka Expressway has been developed at a cost of around Rs 5,360 crore. The section will also provide multi-modal connectivity to Yashobhoomi, Delhi Metro Blue and Orange lines, the upcoming Bijwasan railway station and Dwarka cluster bus depot.
The stretch has been divided into two parts — package I: 5.9 km from Shiv Murti intersection to the Road Under Bridge (RUB) at Dwarka Sector-21, and package II: 4.2 km from Dwarka Sector-21 RUB to the Delhi-Haryana Border — providing direct connectivity to Urban Extension Road-II.
Modi interacted with labourers while inspecting the Dwarka Expressway. He also held a roadshow in Mundka-Bakkarwala Village Toll Plaza, Delhi.
The 19 km-long Haryana section of the Dwarka Expressway was earlier inaugurated by the prime minister in March 2024.
Modi also inaugurated the Alipur to Dichaon Kalan stretch of Urban Extension Road-II (UER-II), along with new links to Bahadurgarh and Sonipat, built at a cost of around Rs 5,580 crore.
It will ease traffic on Delhi’s Inner and Outer Ring Roads and busy points like Mukarba Chowk, Dhaula Kuan, and NH-09. The new spurs will give direct access to Bahadurgarh and Sonipat, improve industrial connectivity, cut city traffic, and speed up goods movement in the NCR. (Agencies)
