4 lanes, 9 flyovers & 6 underpasses: New ₹325cr highway to link south Haryana & Rajasthan
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The new highway, part of National Highway 248-A, will have nine flyovers, six underpasses and bypasses at Malab and Bhadas of Nuh. The govt has set a two-year completion target for the ambitious project. On completion, the highway is expected to reduce travel time to Rajasthan and tackle safety lapses on a stretch notoriously known as the "bloody highway," where over 2,500 fatalities have been reported in the past 12 years.
This development is a result of persistent advocacy and public pressure over the years. The Mewat RTI Manch, a local activist group, has been at the forefront of this campaign since 2013, conducting hunger strikes and protests. Also, the group has filed a petition signed by over 20,000 residents to draw attention to the perils of existing narrow roads and demand immediate corrective measures.
Initially, a ₹186-crore proposal was approved in 2019, but the project was put on hold following construction plan for Delhi-Mumbai Expressway through the area.
Now, with a renewed focus and an increased budget, the Centre has moved forward with a revised estimate of ₹325 crore.
Union minister Rao Inderjit Singh, who has been a vocal advocate for the project, emphasised its transformative potential for Mewat. "The project is not just about a road; it's about giving the people of this region better connectivity, safety and opportunities they've long been denied," he said.
Locals and activists have expressed their approval of the project.
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"This is the result of our decade-long struggle. A safer and better-connected Mewat is finally taking shape," said Rajuddin, a prominent member of the RTI manch movement.
Release of the tender has sparked celebrations across Nuh and nearby areas. At Badkali Chowk — the epicentre of several protests — residents gathered on Friday to express their gratitude.
Mohammad Habib, an INLD functionary at Ferozepur Jhirka, said, "This road has taken too many innocent lives.
The BJP govt has finally taken a step that will prove to be a milestone for every Mewati."
Local activists recalled that the movement to expand NH-248A began with a five-day protest on July 9, 2017, under the banner of the Mewat RTI Manch. This was followed by a major state-wide campaign in Nov 2018, which drew national attention. The same year, the Khuni Highway Sangharsh Samiti was formed to intensify the movement.
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