Delhi: Expressways
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Delhi-Meerut Expressway
2018: 8km stretch inaugurated
PM to inaugurate 8km stretch of 14-lane highway tomorrow, May 26, 2018: The Times of India
From: PM to inaugurate 8km stretch of 14-lane highway tomorrow, May 26, 2018: The Times of India
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will dedicate the first ever 14-lane highway in the country to the nation on Sunday. The government has also planned a mega road show of the PM on the 8-km stretch between Nizamuddin Bridge and Ghazipur.
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has done away with all the traffic signals on this stretch by building flyovers and underpasses. Highways minister Nitin Gadkari said all work on Delhi-Meerut Expressway, including widening of the congested stretch passing through Indirapuram and Noida, will be completed by March 2019.
Nizamuddin Bridge-Dasna stretch of NH-24 is one of the busiest highways in the country as it functions as the primary link between Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. Once completed, the expressway will get rid of about 30 traffic signals and make the stretch seamless for commuters. The complete operation of Delhi-Meerut Expressway will reduce travel time between the two cities to just 45 minutes from the current two-and-a-half hours.
The widened road from Delhi to Dasna will provide options to people whether they want to drive through the access- controlled lanes or through the service lanes. While commuting, one has to pay toll for using the access-controlled lanes while driving through the service lanes will be free of any charges.
“This is the first national highway in the country with 14 lanes and has several features that would reduce pollution. It has a 2.5 metre wide cycle track on either side, a vertical garden on the Yamuna bridge, solar lighting system and drip irrigation for plants at the roadside,” Gadkari said.
Eastern Peripheral Expressway (EPE) project
Y S Malik, Unveiling of EPE: A lifeline for Delhi, May 26, 2018: The Times of India
From: Y S Malik, Unveiling of EPE: A lifeline for Delhi, May 26, 2018: The Times of India
Project Conceived With Twin Objectives Of Decongesting And De-Polluting Capital
The Eastern Peripheral Expressway (EPE) is finally complete and will be dedicated to the nation, which is expected to bring much needed relief to the national capital Delhi. It is indeed a sense of achievement and fulfillment for the government and all the five construction agencies engaged for completion of this crucial project in 500 working days.
The project completion period was kept at two-and-ahalf years or 910 days. The Hon'ble Prime Minister laid the foundation stone on November 5, 2015. During construction, the work remained suspended for about 450 days due to problems linked to land acquisition.
Advantages
Background of EPE and the Alignment
The national capital is connected with the rest of the country through nine major road networks including national and state highways. In the absence of any peripheral road or an alternative route, all traffic coming from these roads traverse through Delhi, be it destined for Delhi or out of the capital city. The result is massive traffic congestion and the consequential contribution to air pollution due to vehicular emissions.
Peripheral Expressways around Delhi, comprising the Western Peripheral Expressway (WPE), also known as KMP, and the EPE connecting NH-1 and NH-2 from western and eastern sides of Delhi, was conceived with the twin objectives of decongesting and de-polluting the national capital by diverting traffic not destined for Delhi.
The EPE and WPE in a way constitute one combined project forming an outer-outer Ring Road around Delhi with a total length of 270 km, of which about 183 km passes through Haryana, and the remaining about 87 km through Uttar Pradesh.
Rigorous Monitoring
About two weeks an impression was sought to be created that though the project was complete in April, its opening was postponed because of delay in its inauguration.
The fact is that the Hon'ble Prime Minister, who has been keeping abreast of the project status, had indicated his availability initially for 8th Apriland then for 29th April for inaugurating the expressway. However, it had to be postponed twice on the ministry's request as the interchange loops on NH-1 and a major rail over bridge (ROB) .The slab on the ROB was cast on 16th of May, and time had to be allowed for its curing and ability to take traffic.
Economic Gains
Jobs
The project has generated employment opportunities of about 50 lakh man days. The contractors deployed 2094 workers and another 7281 skilled and unskilled labourers.
'New Features
Close Tolling System: Toll will be collected only for the distance travelled and not for the entire length. Thus, this becomes the first project where the principle of “pay as you use” is envisaged to be applied in its true form. Toll plazas are equipped with electronic toll collection system for faster processing and uninterrupted travel experience.
Iconic Toll Plaza: An iconic toll plaza has been built at the entry point on Kundli side and its height is 170 ft with 154 ft wing on each side Digital Art Gallery: A firstof-its-kind digital gallery has been set up beneath the toll plaza. The first such art gallery on a road project in the world is expected to emerge as an attraction for road users.
Restrictions on Overloaded Vehicles
Weigh-in-Motion (WIMs) equipment have been installed at 30 every entry points of the expressway. Provision has been made for two gates after passing through the WIM - first entry gate will open if the load is within the permissible limits, and the second exit gate will open if the vehicle is overloaded. For overloaded vehicles, a provision for parking and unloading of overloaded material has also been made after the exit gate.
Automatic Traffic Management System (ATMS)
The expressway is planned to be equipped with variable message signs, CCTV, video incident detection system, warning devices, Over Speed Checking System, Weigh-in-Motion systems, Pavement Management Systems and a Fiber Optic network.
