New Delhi, May 17 (IANS) Union Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways Harsh Malhotra on Saturday inspected the 210-km stretch of the Delhi-Saharanpur-Dehradun Expressway, amid indications of the project being completed in 2-3 months.

Malhotra, who is an MP from East Delhi constituency, was informed by officials that the remaining portions of the project would be completed by August.

The MoS expressed satisfaction with the progress of the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway and stated that the expressway would be instrumental in decongesting NCT of Delhi.

The MoS, who was accompanied by officials of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), said the new link to Dehradun would also reduce the load on Delhi-Meerut Expressway and other connecting Highways.

The Minister took cognisance of the various bottlenecks reported by the NHAI officials and directed them to expedite and complete the project in stipulated timeframe so that it would be opened for the general public as per the schedule.

The Minister was informed by NHAI officials that the remaining portions of the project would be completed within 2-3 months.

The Delhi-Dehradun Expressway, starting from Akshardham Temple in Delhi would pass through Baghpat, Baraut, Muzaffarnagar, Shamli and Saharanpur (Uttar Pradesh) and culminate at Dehradun.

The expressway is being developed at an approximate cost of Rs12,000 crore, with a designated permissible speed of 100 km/hour and reduce travel time from Delhi to Dehradun from the current 6.5 hours to 2.5 hours.

The expressway, would have a spur towards Haridwar and connect Char Dhaam Highway, thus, enhancing the connectivity to the hill stations and pilgrimage sites of Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh.

The Narendra Modi government, with its testament to environment protection, has also developed Asia’s largest elevated corridor of length 12 km in Rajaji National Park during the development of this expressway.

Originally planned to be completed by December 2024, the project ran into technical problems and land acquisition issues.

A private plot in Ghaziabad’s Mandola village has posed a challenge as its owner has dragged the authorities to court.

–IANS

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