Delhi-Meerut Expressway stretch may get Cabinet nod in 15 days

NEW DELHI: To ease traffic congestion in the national capital, the Cabinet is likely to give its nod to widening of the crucial UP Gate to Dasna stretch of the Rs 7,566-crore Delhi-Meerut Expressway in a fortnight.

"The proposal for widening of 19.28 km UP Gate to Dasna stretch of the Delhi-Meerut Expressway is likely to get Cabinet nod in another fortnight," a source privy to the development said.

The other two stretches - Akshardham temple to UP Gate and Dasna to Hapur have already been approved by the Cabinet.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 31, 2015 had unveiled a plaque to mark the laying of the foundation stone of the Delhi-Meerut Expressway to be built at a cost of Rs 7,566 crore that includes construction of 28-km long 14 lane Delhi-Dasna section.

The National Highway will show a way to freedom from pollution, he had said.

Earlier Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has said that the project will reduce the distance between the national capital and Meerut to 40-45 minutes from 3 hours at present.

The expressway will give a big thrust to development in western Uttar Pradesh and will make travel to cities like Dehradun, Moradabad and Bareilly much faster, he has said.

The Delhi-Meerut Expressway would be an access controlled highway and 31 traffic signals have been removed from the stretch.

While, the work on Delhi-Dasna section would cost of Rs 2,869 crore, the construction of 46 km long six-lane Dasna-Meerut section of the expressway will cost Rs 3,575 crore.

Besides, six-laning of 22 km long Dasna-Hapur section of NH 24 will cost Rs 1,122 crore.