Starting with a road show from Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Dwarka Expressway’s city section on Mar 11, Union minister and MP Rao Inderjit Singh announced on Saturday.
While chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar also announced the inauguration at an event he was attending on Saturday, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) remained tight-lipped about the expressway’s opening date.
However, the highways authority maintained that last-minute preparations were under way before the formal opening of the speedway.
“PM Modi will be visiting Haryana for the second time in a month and unveil development projects worth crores. The outline of events for the programme are being finalised as of now,” the Gurgaon MP said.
“Its (expressway’s) completion will not only enhance road infrastructure in the city, but will also showcase development in the entire NCR, benefitting residents,” the minister added.
NHAI officials said that they have not yet received a final date from the Prime Minister’s Office for inauguration of the expressway. “We are ready with the Gurgaon section of Dwarka Expressway, but are still awaiting for the final date. However, efforts are underway to complete the beautification and maintenance work. Also, we are enhancing the visibility and ambience along the expressway by installing tricolour lights on poles. Painting work is also being carried out,” a senior NHAI official said.
The district administration is also gearing up for the inauguration. The deputy commissioner and commissioner of police visited the expressway on Thursday.
Construction of the 18.7km stretch of the expressway in Gurgaon was completed last year but it wasn’t opened to traffic as NHAI had a pending safety audit. The remaining 10km of the expressway in Delhi is likely to take another five to six months to complete.
Once inaugurated, the expressway will intersect key areas such as Harsaru, Pataudi Road, Farrukhnagar, and Sector 88(B), improving connectivity and accessibility for residents of the city. It will link several sectors in the city, including sectors 83, 84, 88, 99, and 113, as well as the proposed Global City with Dwarka Sector 21 and Indira Gandhi International airport.
Residents said that they are eagerly waiting for the opening. Harish Yadav, a resident of Palm Gardens in Sector 83, said the opening of Dwarka Expressway was long overdue. “Once it becomes operational, it will be beneficial especially for the new sectors. Not just travel time between Delhi and Gurgaon will be reduced, but with improved connectivity, development in these sectors will also boost.”
Dwarka Expressway, once completed, will decongest NH-8 and give an alternative route to commute between Delhi and Gurgaon.
Source : TOI
