Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari and Vijay Goel during the foundation stone laying ceremony of the six-lane corridor linking Akshardham to the Eastern Peripheral Expressway. 9Express photo: Amit Mehra) Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari and Vijay Goel during the foundation stone laying ceremony of the six-lane corridor linking Akshardham to the Eastern Peripheral Expressway. 9Express photo: Amit Mehra)

The Central government has decided to take up projects worth Rs 50,000-crore to decongest the capital, which is battling with air and water pollution, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said Saturday. He laid the foundation stone for a Rs 2,820-crore highway corridor project that will link Akshardham to the Eastern Peripheral Expressway (EPE) junction on Baghpat road.

The alignment of the road will begin from the Akshardham-Geeta Colony-Shastri Park-Khazuri Khas-Delhi/UP border-Mandola-EPE intersection, officials said.

The highway will be developed in two packages — a 14.75-km stretch beginning from Akshardham and leading to Delhi/UP border, and a 16.57-km stretch beginning from Delhi/UP border and leading to EPE intersection.

The project includes construction of six-lane service roads on either side of the highway, eight new underpasses, seven ramps connecting major roads, 15 major junctions, 34 minor junctions, and overbridges at Delhi-Shahdara, New Delhi-Anand Vihar railway lines and Dilshad Garden-ISBT Metro Line.

Addressing the event, Gadkari said, “Delhi is facing a problem of air and water pollution. Frequent traffic jams have also become a problem. We have decided to start work on Rs 50,000 crore highway projects to decongest the city.”

The foundation stone for Dwarka Expressway, which will be built at a cost of Rs 10,000 crore, will be laid next week, he said.

He added that work on Delhi-Meerut Expressway will be completed by March. Once done, people will be able to reach Meerut from Delhi in 40 minutes instead of 3.5 hours, he said.

Gadkari also said a new ring road Urban Extension Road (UER) will be constructed at a cost of Rs 4,000 crore. He added that the pollution level has reduced significantly in Delhi after several projects, including the Eastern Peripheral Expressway, have been implemented.

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