With Thrust On Investment Sentiment, Modi Govt Goes For Decongestion Of Metros

The BJP government has now decided to build an 80 km double-decker elevated road to cut the travel time. The Delhi government has now decided to allow construction work only during the night hours to ensure smooth travel time. Both measures are expected to bring massive relief to commuters' woes and also set a blueprint for such operations nationwide. 

The road and highway sector has received a key push under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Viksit Bharat programme. During his tenure, the country has seen its national highway network expand by 60 per cent, rising from 91,287 km in 2014 to around 146,000 km by 2024.

Earlier this year, Prime Minister Modi had inaugurated the Dwarka Expressway and a vital section of the Urban Extension Road-II, built at a cost of about Rs 11,000 crore. These roads also aim to reduce jams in Delhi and NCR cities.

Government sources say that these steps could be replicated in other states and megacities, which often face traffic congestion or gridlocks. Besides, the aim is to incentivise timely construction, and the government plans to introduce a clause through which the builder of the project would receive an extra payment if the company completes the project before time.

Night-Time Construction, Incentivised Completion

In a move that could revolutionise construction in densely populated cities across the nation, probably for the first time in India's history of building infrastructure, the Delhi Government has decided to allow construction work only during the night on its much-anticipated ring road corridor project.

Another pioneering move under the project would be that the project will aim to incentivise timely construction, and the government plans to introduce a clause through which the builder of the project would receive an extra payment if the company completes the project before time. The clause assumes significance as infrastructure projects in the country have been plagued by severe delays, causing major cost escalations. It would be one of its kind innovative public-private partnership (PPP) models, with specific performance rewards.

Speaking to The Secretariat, Delhi PWD Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh said that the selection of a consultant is likely to be done soon, who will prepare the DPR of the project. "A time-bound completion without any hassles to the commuters would be the priority area for the Delhi government," the minister said.

He pointed out that the clause for timely completion to incentivise has been taken after seeking inspiration from abroad. "Any delay would cause a major burden on our exchequer. So, in order to ensure timely completion, we would try to ensure this agreement clause," he said.

The cost of the construction of an elevated road comes to about Rs 100 crore per kilometre. This project cost is expected to be between Rs 5,500-6,000 crore, the Minister added.

Importance Of Ring Road

Ring Road was originally planned in the 1950s and serves the entire national capital allowing circular movement of vehicles, while joining arterial roads to other parts of the city. With the National Capital Region home to over 30 million people the need for the expansion and adding of roads has been felt for the past several years.

With the city's Ring Road catering to heavier traffic than its capacity, with an ever-expanding population base in the NCR cities, Delhi government is considering building an elevated road over the existing 80-km stretch.

This will be one of the biggest projects of this government and the plan is to complete it within the current term of the Rekha Gupta government and showcase it ahead of the next scheduled Assembly polls in 2030.  

Major Features

• The New road will be entirely elevated
• To be built on pillars along the central verge of the existing road
• The project will not require any acquisition of land
• To be completed within a given timeframe
• Easing Of Commuting Woes  

Once constructed, the elevated roads are expected to ease the movement of traffic across the national capital and its adjoining cities.

Apart from easing movement for commuters, the road is also expected to save fuel and maintenance costs of vehicles while at the same time also helping bring down pollution levels in the national capital.

Once completed, the project is expected to be replicated across the country as a model project for other metropolitan cities to follow. This is expected to boost invetor confidence and also create infrastructure for smoother movement of goods and services across the country's major cities.