Expressways to Decongest & Depollute Delhi

Last Updated on July 17, 2018 by Bharat Saini

Eastern Peripheral Expressway that will contribute towards twin objectives of decongesting and de-polluting national capital by diverting traffic not destined for Delhi and Phase-I of Delhi-Meerut Expressway stretching from Nizamuddin Bridge to Delhi UP Border- the first National Highway in the country with 14 lanes that has several features to help reduce pollution, are the two newly built expressways in Delhi NCR Region that were dedicated to the nation by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday May 27, 2018.

Eastern Peripheral Expressway (EPE), country’s first green expressway with world-class smart features, the 135 km-long fully access-controlled six-lane expressway cost ₹11000 crore stretching from Kundli on NH 1 to Palwal on NH 2 in Haryana via Ghaziabad and Greater Noida in Uttar Pradesh, completed in 500 days, ahead of a target of 910 days, that will divert 50000 vehicles away from Delhi and reduce pollution was thrown open to the public from Sunday midnight:

• Prime Minister had laid the foundation for this project on November 5, 2015.
• Entry and exit on this expressway is through designated interchanges only.
• Expressway has 4 major bridges, 46 minor bridges, 3 flyovers, 7 inter-changes, 221 underpasses, 8 ROBs, and 114 culverts.
• EPE has a closed tolling system in which toll will be collected only for the distance travelled and not for the entire length.
• Toll plazas will be equipped with Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) system for faster toll collection and uninterrupted travel experience.
• Weigh-in-Motion (WIMs) equipment has been installed at all 30 entry points of the Expressway to stop entry of over-loaded vehicles.
• EPE is the first Expressway in the country to use solar power on the entire length of 135 km.
• There are eight solar power plants on EPE with a capacity of 4000 KW (4 megawatt) for lighting of the underpasses and running solar pumps for watering plants.
• Rainwater harvesting has been provided at every 500 meters on the EPE and there is drip irrigation for plants all along the expressway

Peripheral Expressways project that encircles Delhi, comprising Western Peripheral Expressway (WPE) and Eastern Peripheral Expressway (EPE), connect NH-1 and NH-2 from Western and Eastern side of Delhi. The EPE and WPE constitute one combined project forming a Ring Road around Delhi with a total length of 270 km. About 183 km length passes through the State of Haryana whereas the remaining about 87 km length passes through the State of Uttar Pradesh. The construction of the WPE is expected to conclude next month. The project was conceived after a Supreme Court order in 2005 asked the Centre to build a peripheral expressway around Delhi by July 2016 to de-congest and de-pollute the national capital.

The Expressway is planned to be equipped with the latest, world class smart technology and road safety features like intelligent highway traffic management system, video incident detection system and a closed tolling system where the toll will be charged on the distance travelled.

Delhi Meerut Expressway, once completed, will significantly reduce travel times from the National Capital to Meerut, and to several other parts of Western Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, it will take just 60 minutes to travel from Delhi to Meerut:

• Prime Minister had laid the foundation stone for Delhi Meerut Expressway (DME) on December 31, 2015.
• DME’s Phase – I or Package – I of National Highway – Delhi-Meerut Expressway has been completed in a record time of 18 months as against the earlier expected construction period of 30 months, at a cost of about ₹50 crore.
• It includes a 6-lane Expressway and 4+4 Service lanes, i.e. 14-lane facility from Nizamuddin Bridge in Delhi to UP Border.
• These include a 2.5-metre-wide cycle track on either side of the highway, a vertical garden on the Yamuna Bridge, solar lighting system and watering of plants through drip irrigation only.
• DME project’s total length is 82 km, of which the first 27.74 kms will be 14-laned, while the rest will be 6-lane expressway.
• Project is likely to cost ₹17 crore.
• DME will be the first expressway to have dedicated bicycle tracks on the nearly 28 km stretch between Delhi and Dasna.
• Project involves construction of 11 flyovers/interchanges, 5 major and 24 minor bridges, 3 ROBs (rail over bridges), 36 vehicular and 14 pedestrian underpasses.
• It will also have elevated section of 5.91 kms.
• The entire project has been divided into four packages:
  • Package – I, the 8.360 kms stretching from Nizamuddin Bridge to Delhi UP Border has 14 lanes, access controlled.
  • Package – II, the 19.28 km stretching UP Border to Dasna will be 14-lane facility that will include 6 lane Expressway & 4+4 Service lanes.
  • Package – III,27 km from Dasna to Hapur will be 6 -laning of NH-24 with 2 lane Service Roads on either side.
  • Package – IV, 78 km from Dasna to Meerut – 6 lanes Expressway will be Green-field Alignment of Delhi-Meerut Expressway.

Addressing a public meeting in Baghpat on the occasion, the Prime Minister expressed confidence that the entire stretch of the Delhi Meerut Expressway would be completed soon. He said the Eastern Peripheral Expressway would help decongest traffic in Delhi. “Development of infrastructure plays very important role in raising the standard of living of the people of this country.” “Highways, railways, airways, waterways, I-ways as well as electricity-related infrastructure are focus areas of this government. We have spent ₹3 lakh crore for the construction of 28000 km of new highways”.