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Significant progress has been made on Delhi Metro extension plans and road infrastructure projects, which are expected to ease traffic congestion and improve daily commute
Workers look through after a breakthrough of TBM (Tunnel Boring Machine) at the Vasant Kunj TBM Project Site of the Delhi Metro. (PTI)
For the last several years, Delhi’s infrastructure projects were caught in bureaucratic red tape and political tussles between multiple agencies, which not just delayed some critical plans but stalled a few. However, with a political alignment between the Centre and the city government, the long-pending projects are finally gaining momentum.
In the last few weeks, significant progress has been made on Delhi Metro extension plans and road infrastructure projects which are expected to ease traffic congestion and improve daily commutes in the coming months and years.
Golden Line Making Swift Progress
In February, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) achieved a breakthrough at IGNOU Metro Station with the completion of an underground tunnel between Chhatarpur Mandir and IGNOU Station on the Tughlakabad-Aerocity corridor, known as the Golden Line.
Within weeks, in March, DMRC announced that it has completed the tunnelling work on the deepest underground stretch of Phase 4.
The same month, the DMRC also achieved a breakthrough at Vasant Kunj Metro Station with the completion of an underground tunnel between Kishangarh and Vasant Kunj Station. Earlier this month, DMRC achieved another construction milestone on the route with the completion of an underground tunnel between Maa Anandmayee Marg and Tughlakabad Railway colony station.
Now, in the coming weeks, another breakthrough is expected on the Golden Line for a parallel circular tunnel. The Golden Line is scheduled for completion by mid-2026.
While metro connectivity continues to make progress below the ground, road infrastructure across the Capital is also set for a major upgrade with six new projects recently approved by the Centre.
New Road Projects Approved
Earlier this month, the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways approved six major infrastructure projects in Delhi and for most of these, bids for preparation of Detailed Project Report (DPR) have been invited.
Speaking to News18, an official from the ministry said across the length and breadth of the city, these projects will ease traffic bottlenecks in the coming few months.
This included a 20-km signal-free elevated corridor between AIIMS and Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport that will further connect Gurgaon. This project is expected to cost around Rs 5,000 crore.
The ministry will build this new corridor between AIIMS and Nelson Mandela Marg in Vasant Kunj. Another 5km signal-free tunnel is planned between Nelson Mandela Road and Shiv Murti–Mahipalpur intersection at the Dwarka Expressway. This is expected to cost around Rs 3,500 crore.
In addition, the ministry also approved building an interchange at Kalindi Kunj intersection near Okhla Barrage where the Delhi-Noida Road meets Agra Canal Road. This 500m road will cost around Rs 500 crore. The feasibility study was completed for this section in 2022.
Another 17-kilometer road is planned between Urban Extension Road II (UER 2) and the upcoming Delhi-Dehradun expressway near Tronica City at a cost of Rs 3,300 crore.
Earlier this month, a 2.5-km tunnel on the Delhi stretch of Dwarka Expressway, connecting Dwarka to the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway, was opened for traffic, reducing travel time between Manesar and Palam Airport to 30 minutes.
Barrier-free road projects are not just vital for easing traffic but are also crucial for improving air quality in a city that frequently battles severe pollution. According to a senior official from the ministry, these projects are expected to reduce vehicular idling and streamline traffic flow—both critical to curbing the city’s alarming pollution levels.
“Every minute saved on the road translates to fewer emissions and less fuel consumption,” they said.
These road projects are expected to be completed in the next couple of years, giving Delhi a much-needed boost in terms of traffic and air pollution.
Nivedita Singh is a data journalist and covers the Election Commission, Indian Railways and Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. She has nearly seven years of experience in the news media. She tweets @nived…Read More
Nivedita Singh is a data journalist and covers the Election Commission, Indian Railways and Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. She has nearly seven years of experience in the news media. She tweets @nived… Read More
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