NHAI to take over 3 key Delhi road corridors for maintenance, redesign

New Delhi, Sep 2 (PTI) The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has given in-principle approval to take over three major road corridors in Delhi from the Public Works Department (PWD) for maintenance, redesign, and regular upkeep, officials said on Tuesday.

The identified stretches are Mathura Road from Ashram to Badarpur Border, Old Delhi- Rohtak Road -- Punjabi Bagh to Tikri Border, and Mehrauli-Gurugram Road -- Mehrauli to Gurugram city. Together, the three corridors cover 33 km and serve as critical links between Delhi and neighbouring areas.

"A request was sent to the NHAI... and they have recently given in-principle approval for taking over these roads. These are all national highways that pass through Delhi; there are problems of traffic congestion on these stretches," an official said.

As part of the proposal, the PWD has also been directed to identify all slip roads and connecting roads along these corridors. These additional roads may also be considered for handover to the NHAI in future phases, he added.

The 8.5-km Mehrauli-Gurugram Road, also known as National Highway 148A, runs through South-West Delhi and serves as a key link between Delhi and the neighbouring state of Haryana.

Under a central government traffic decongestion plan, this stretch is to be connected to the Delhi-Noida-Direct (DND) Flyway to improve connectivity.

Similarly, the 18.5-km Old Delhi-Rohtak Road, which is part of National Highway 9 and passes through the heavily congested Punjabi Bagh area in West Delhi, has been identified for widening to improve traffic flow in the area.

The third stretch, a 7.5-km segment of Mathura Road (NH-2), begins near Tilak Bridge in Central Delhi and extends from the Ashram junction to the Badarpur border in Southeast Delhi.

Beyond the Badarpur border, the road continues into Uttar Pradesh towards Mathura.

According to officials, once the handover is completed, NHAI will initiate road repair, maintenance and potential widening works, all aimed at easing traffic congestion across these critical corridors. PTI SSM RHL