New Delhi, May 19 (H.S.):Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday inspected the ambitious National Highway-148NA project aimed at improving traffic flow across the National Capital Region (NCR). The inspection covered the six-lane access-controlled highway sections under construction from DND Maharani Bagh to Jaitpur Pushta Road and the Faridabad–Ballabhgarh bypass segment.

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, Union Ministers of State for Road Transport and Highways Harsh Malhotra and Ajay Tamta, along with MP Ramvir Singh Bidhuri and former MP Ramesh Bidhuri were also present during the visit.

The inspected stretch includes an approximately nine-kilometre segment extending from the DND side, featuring a 7.5-kilometre elevated corridor and a 1.5-kilometre surface-level road developed beyond the Agra Canal up to Jaitpur Pushta Road. During the visit, the Union Minister also reviewed the progress of the greenfield expressway project connecting Faridabad with Noida International Airport.

After the inspection, Gadkari briefed the media at the DND Maharani Bagh end regarding the project’s status.

Developed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), the project spans approximately 59.063 kilometres with an estimated cost of around ₹4,463 crore. The six-lane access-controlled highway is designed to enhance connectivity between Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, Faridabad, Gurugram and Sohna, while also linking the Delhi–Mumbai Expressway and the upcoming Noida International Airport at Jewar.

The corridor from DND Maharani Bagh to the Faridabad–Ballabhgarh bypass is expected to significantly ease traffic congestion across the NCR. Construction work on the project began on January 11, 2022, and was initially scheduled for completion by September 2025. However, delays in the construction of a steel network arch bridge over the Agra Canal have affected the timeline. Officials said the bridge is the most complex and critical component of the project.

During the inspection, officials briefed the Union Minister on the project’s advanced technical features. The highlight of the project is a 140-metre-long network arch bridge being constructed over the Agra Canal, described as the first of its kind in the NCR. The bridge is being built at a location where pier construction in the middle of the canal was not feasible.

It incorporates advanced engineering features such as a steel arch structure, cross-hanger cable systems, tie beams, cross girders and a composite deck slab. The bridge has been designed with a focus on seismic safety, durability and long-term performance.

Officials further stated that the project uses precast segmental construction techniques, launching girders, high-strength E-450 steel, grade 10.9 bolts, high-damping rubber bearings and multidirectional expansion joints. Major steel welding works were carried out under controlled factory conditions, while site assembly was done using a bolt-based system to minimise construction risks. An advanced Dywidag suspension system has also been incorporated to ensure long-term durability and corrosion resistance.

Environmental sustainability has also been prioritised. Nearly 200,000 metric tonnes of inert material from bio-mining operations at the Okhla and Ghazipur landfill sites has been reused in embankment construction. The project also includes noise barriers, green belt development and compensatory afforestation.

Construction in densely populated areas, including work above the Delhi Metro Magenta Line, has been identified as a major engineering challenge.

Officials also briefed the Union Minister on the Delhi Traffic Decongestion Plan, estimated at ₹1.25 lakh crore. The plan includes major infrastructure projects such as the Delhi–Amritsar–Katra Expressway extension, Urban Extension Road-II northern and eastern extensions, Dwarka Expressway to Vasant Kunj tunnel, AIIMS to Mahipalpur elevated corridor, and the Kalindi Kunj interchange.

They further informed that a 31.425-kilometre fully access-controlled highway is being developed to connect the DND–Faridabad bypass with Jewar International Airport, at an estimated cost of ₹2,360 crore. This route will provide connectivity to both the Delhi–Mumbai Expressway and the Yamuna Expressway.

Once completed, the project is expected to significantly reduce travel time, improve traffic flow, and boost economic activity across the National Capital Region.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar