Kundli-Manesar-Palwal Expressway opens for vehicular traffic.

Expressways have been becoming the lifeline for country’s transport systems as these ease transportation of commuters and commercial vehicles by shrinking travel time and decongest traffic resulting saving the fuel. Various studies reveal that poor road infrastructure results fatal road accidents, long traffic jams and other problem which make transportation a nightmare. In past decade, government has focused on improving national highways of the country to ease surface transport in the country. Several highways have been made expressways to enable uninterrupted driving. Adding another number in the completed expressway, much awaited Kundli-Manesar-Palwal Expressway or Delhi Eastern Peripheral Expressway has been dedicated to the commuters for vehicular traffic. The 135.6 km long Expressway has been divided into three sections of 45 km each. Five Flyovers are being constructed at places where the expressway crosses national highways, namely, NH 1 at Kundli (Sonepat) where it starts just north of Delhi, NH 10 just northwest of Bahadurgarh Jhajjar, NH 8 south of Manesar, NH 71B southwest of Sohna and NH 2 south of Palwal.

Delhi Western Peripheral Expressway was first proposed in 2003 along with Delhi Eastern Peripheral Expressway. It was envisioned as Build Operate Transfer (BOT) project to construct a 135.6 Km, access controlled four lane expressway from NH 1 near Kundli Sonipat to NH 2 Palwal near Faridabad. Since Delhi would benefit from rerouting of the vehicular away from it, Delhi state agreed to bear 50 per cent of the land acquisition cost of the expressway. The project was awarded to KMP Expressways ltd. with commercial operations supposed to begin in June 2009.

In June 2012, a revised deadline of May 2013 was fixed. Repeated delays forced the Government of Haryana to terminate the contract and pay KMP Expressways and lenders Rs 1,300 crore as termination payment. Finally after intervention of Supreme Court of India in January 2015, the project was revived and new bids were invited. It was also decided to upgrade the expressway to a six lane expressway.

This expressway will reduce Haryana’s traffic from Sonepat to Gurgaon and Rewari districts dependence to enter Delhi. In peak hours, traffic from Haryana choke Delhi’s roads results long queues of vehicles on Delhi road which makes huge inconvenience for Delhi commuters. The Kundli-Manesar-Palwal Expressway spans five districts of Sonepat, Jhajjar, Gurgaon, Mewat and Palwal. Now Haryana’s traffic would get diverted from Kundli and people would not need to touch Delhi to travel to these districts of Haryana.

Delayed but with final launch of Kundli-Manesar-Palwal Expressway, people would benefit ease transportation. There are several highway projects missing deadlines, hope these too get completed and all parts of the country get safe, smooth and fast transport system.

Edlive Group thanks Government of India to complete construction of KMP Expressway and wishes all the best to complete future projects timely.