PM inaugurates India’s first Hybrid 14 lane expressway; travel from Delhi to Meerut in 60 min

On Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated India’s first 14 lane Expressway – the Delhi-Meerut Expressway (Delhi Section) from Nizamuddin Bridge to UP border which is developed by  NHAI and Welspun Enterprises Ltd. under Hybrid Annuity Model. This phase 1 of the Delhi-Meerut Expressway would mean you can now travel from Delhi to Meerut in just 60 minutes. Welspun developed the prestigious Package I of the Delhi - Meerut Expressway under the aegis of National Highways Authority of India in a record time of 18 months against the scheduled period of 30 months.

B. K. Goenka – Chairman of Welspun Group said, “Welspun Enterprises was the first Company to achieve the financial closure for this expressway project. We are proud to contribute through industry first initiatives like vertical gardens, cycling track, solar lighting and beautification of this stretch. The completion of this expressway along with NHAI strongly showcases our strength in Infrastructure and truly resonates with our philosophy of ‘Leading Tomorrow Together’.”

DELHI-MEERUT-EXPRESSWAY TO BE INAUGURATED BY HON’BLE PRIME MINISTER SHRI NARENDRA MODI TODAY. @nitin_gadkari @PMOIndia @transform_ind @PIB_India pic.twitter.com/sTrAjSXo7s

— MORTHINDIA (@MORTHIndia) May 27, 2018

PM Narendra Modi on it's twitter handle account said, "This project will provide faster and safer connectivity between Delhi and Meerut. People from the NCR, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand will particularly benefit from this project."

Phase-1 of the Delhi-Meerut Expressway will be inaugurated by PM @narendramodi tomorrow. This project will provide faster and safer connectivity between Delhi and Meerut. People from the NCR, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand will particularly benefit from this project. pic.twitter.com/NtJtFP9Ggv

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) May 26, 2018

Apart from PM, Nitin Gadkari - Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways, Shipping and Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation, Mansukh L. Mandaviya - Union Minister of State for Road, Transport & Highways, Shipping and Chemical & Fertilizers, Maheish Girri - Member of Parliament, Rajendra Agrawal – Member of Parliament, . B. K. Goenka – Chairman of Welspun Group and Sandeep Garg – MD & CEO, Welspun Enterprises Ltd. were also present on this milestone occasion.

Gadkari said, "Congratulations to NHAI and Welspun Group for completing the green and sustainable Delhi - Meerut Expressway in record time."

This 8.360 kms stretch of National Highway  has been completed in a record time of 18 months as against the earlier expected construction period of 30 months, at a cost of about  Rs 841.50 crore .

It includes a 6-lane Expressway and 4+4 Service lanes, i.e. 14-lane facility from Nizamuddin Bridge in Delhi to UP Border. This is the first National Highway in the country with 14 lanes, and has several features that would help reduce pollution.

These include a 2.5-metre-wide cycle track on either side of the highway, a vertical garden on the Yamuna Bridge, solar lighting system and watering of plants through drip irrigation only.

The stretch also features replicas of prominent monuments like Qutub Minar & Ashoka Stambh, Advanced Traffic Management Systems (ATMS), CCTV’s and plantation of new trees.

The Delhi- Meerut Expressway  project aims to provide faster and safer connectivity between Delhi and Meerut  and beyond this, with Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

The total length of the project is 82 km, of which the first 27.74 kms will be  14-laned, while the rest will be a 6-lane expressway. The project is likely to cost Rs 4975.17 crore.

This will be the first expressway to have dedicated bicycle tracks on the nearly 28 km stretch between Delhi and Dasna.

The project involves construction of 11 flyovers/interchanges, 5 major and 24 minor bridges, 3 ROBs (rail over bridges), 36 vehicular and 14 pedestrian underpasses.

Designed for a speed up to 120 km/h, this expressway will substantially reduce the travel time from 45 minutes to just 8 minutes. It will also help in reduce pollution, better fuel efficiency and enhanced quality of life of millions of people.