Jaipur, July 8 (IANS) Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, and Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma will inspect the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway on Wednesday to assess the progress of construction work and the condition of the roadway.

The inspection will cover the stretch from the Laban Interchange to the Dara Tunnel. Gadkari will travel by road from Delhi to Kota, inspecting the expressway en route.

CM Bhajanlal Sharma will arrive at the Laban Interchange by helicopter, while Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will reach the site by road after attending a programme in Khatoli.

The three leaders are scheduled to begin their road inspection at around 3:30 p.m., during which they will also review construction work at the Dara Tunnel. Officials from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the district administration have been making extensive preparations for the visit.

Rajasthan Education Minister Madan Dilawar, Energy Minister Hiralal Nagar, and Ladpura MLA Kalpana Devi are also expected to accompany the delegation.

Ahead of Gadkari’s visit, repair work has been intensified on the expressway, with crews working round the clock to fill potholes that had become a safety concern. Construction inside the tunnel passing through the Mukundara Tiger Reserve has also been expedited.

Following the inspection, Gadkari is scheduled to leave for Ratlam, Madhya Pradesh. Construction of the Dara Tunnel has faced repeated delays, with the completion deadline extended six times over the past four years.

The prolonged delay has increased the project’s cost by nearly Rs 100 crore, while commuters continue to face frequent traffic congestion at Dara Nala, said officials.

Officials estimate it could take another month before traffic is allowed through the tunnel. Work on one carriageway has been completed, while remaining work is being carried out in line with safety audit recommendations. Construction on the second four-lane tunnel is now in its final stages.

–IANS

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