Work on the much-delayed package two of the Dwarka Expressway has finally started, almost a month after the Delhi government gave a green signal to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for the 4.5 km section of the expressway.
The work on the stretch could not get off the ground for almost 1.5 years due to a delay in getting approval from the Delhi government as it had strong reservations about cutting the trees on the project site. But it finally gave approval for cutting trees on the stretch in second week of July.
Manoj Kumar, chief general manager, NHAI, said that the preparatory work on package two — a 4.5-km elevated road from Dwarka Sector 21 rail overbridge to Haryana border — has started and the contractor is setting up a camp at the site. “This is a key part of the project and initial preparations are being made to ensure that work on the main carriageway starts soon,” said Kumar. The work on the stretch has to be completed in 24 months.
At the site, earth moving machines are clearing the approach road to the main carriageway and boards demarcating the project site are also being installed near the Delhi-haryana border, said highway officials. A 900-metre stretch that connects Delhi and Gurugram along the alignment of the Dwarka Expressway has also been started and testing of soil on the Dwarka side is also being carried out, they added.
The NHAI has granted the contract for this segment to a private contractor at a cost of over ₹1,500 crore. The 29-km Dwarka Expressway will connect Shiv Murti at Mahipalpur to a point near Kherki Daula on the Delhi gurgaon expressway. Package one and two of the Dwarka Expressway are part of the 11-km Delhi corridor (the remaining 18-km falls in Haryana).
Source : HT
