Rs 24,000 Crore Plan Cleared To Tackle Delhi's Traffic Congestion

NDTV

21 hours ago

New Delhi:
In a significant step towards addressing Delhi's chronic traffic congestion, the Centre and the Delhi government have cleared nine major infrastructure projects worth Rs 24,000 crore.
The projects include a mix of tunnels, flyovers, metro extensions, and new roads aimed at cutting travel time, reducing pollution, and making daily commutes smoother for millions in Delhi-NCR.
Officials confirmed that all projects are expected to be completed by 2027, with work set to begin in phases starting this year. The approval comes as a joint effort to address some of the city's worst traffic points and expand public transport options.
One of the most anticipated moves is the 12.3-kilometre extension of the Pink Line Metro from Majlis Park to Maujpur. This final stretch will complete the circular Pink Line and create a metro ring road, allowing passengers to travel across Delhi without switching lines or stepping out onto congested roads.
In South Delhi, a new elevated corridor between AIIMS and Mahipalpur Bypass has been approved to ease the notoriously slow commute towards the airport. The corridor will serve thousands of daily commuters moving between South Extension, Dhaula Kuan, and IGI Airport.
A 5-kilometre tunnel from Shiv Murti to Vasant Kunj, which will link National Highway 48 with Mahipalpur and Vasant Kunj, has also been added. Officials say this will drastically reduce congestion in one of the city's most traffic-prone zones.
Outer Delhi will also see major upgrades. Flyovers and underpasses are planned along Urban Extension Road-II (UER-II) and the Gurugram-Jaipur Highway to streamline heavy vehicle movement. New roads connecting Rohini, Narela, and Bawana have also been approved to improve connectivity in rapidly expanding residential and industrial areas.
To ease pressure on the Delhi-Noida corridor, additional underpasses and service roads will be built around the DND Flyway. Authorities say this will help manage peak-hour traffic and reduce spillover jams on connecting routes.
The redevelopment of New Delhi Railway Station is also on the list. While the focus will be on improving passenger amenities, a major part of the plan involves streamlining vehicle movement outside the station premises, one of the city's worst traffic zones during rush hours.
Connectivity to long-distance expressways is also being addressed. Flyovers and service roads will be added to improve Delhi's link to the Delhi-Katra Expressway, making long-distance travel easier and reducing congestion at exit points.
For flyers, road and tunnel upgrades around the airport will create quicker and smoother access to IGI, easing the burden on roads around Aerocity and Mahipalpur.
The Rs 24,000 crore cost will be shared by the central and Delhi governments. Officials say tenders and planning are already underway and that the city could start seeing construction activity in several zones by early next year.
"This is not a patchwork fix," said a senior official told NDTV. "We're talking about a complete reworking of how people move across Delhi. If we stay on schedule, this could fundamentally change commuting in the city by 2027."