Centre eyes more expressways from Delhi to Jaipur, Chandigarh

NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways on Friday said it is in talks with the state governments Delhi and Haryana for constructing two more expressways from Delhi to Jaipur and Chandigarh.

"We met Delhi Transport Minister Arvinder Singh Lovely and Randeep Singh Surjewala, Industry Minister, Haryana, and discussed about building new expressways to Jaipur and Chandigarh," C P Joshi, Minister for Road Transport and Highways, told reporters after launching the ministry's new website.

However, Joshi said that he would meet the officials from Rajasthan soon.

"Very shortly, we would meet Rajasthan state government officials and discuss the plan further," Joshi said, without divulging the financial details of the projects.

"We are at a discussion stage and I cannot comment any further on the matter," he added.

Delhi and Haryana governments have given their approvals for constructing these expressways. These are green field projects and expected to cut through separate routes from the existing highways.

The proposed 230 km Delhi-Jaipur expressway is likely to connect Manesar, Bawal, Kushkhera, Bhiwadi, Neemrana to the stretch for the Delhi-Mumbai industrial corridor and other national highway networks.

At present, National Highway 8 (NH-8) is the only high speed link between Delhi and Jaipur. The ministry is yet to workout the plan for Delhi-Chandigarh expressway.