The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has made a significant announcement saying that the Gurugram–Pataudi highway stretch, connecting the Dwarka Expressway to Pataudi, will finally be completed and opened for public use by the end of March this year. Once completed, the corridor will significantly improve connectivity between Gurugram, Pataudi, and Rewari.
What has led to delays
The development follows multiple delays and missing timelines. The NHAI has attributed these delays to changes made in project scope, along with litigation over land, disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, afforestation clearances, and prolonged utility shifting. The work on the Gurugram–Pataudi highway stretch started off in 2021 and was originally scheduled to be completed in 2023.
Hindustan Times quotes Yogesh Tilak, Project Director at NHAI, as saying, “The majority of work on the entire highway has been completed, and now the finishing work remains, which will be completed in the next three months. We will complete the work by 31 March and make this highway operational. The only structure that will remain pending is the flyover on Dwarka Expressway, which will be completed by June.”
Project cost around Rs 1,000 crore
The upcoming stretch will be running for a total distance of 46.1 km, a project being built at a cost of around Rs 1,000 crore. It was initially slated to get operational in March 2025. However, the timeline had to be shifted to September and then to December 2025.
The works on the project will include widening and upgrading the existing road, construction of two major flyovers, a railway overbridge, a total of 81 culverts, and 23 vehicular underpasses. As per officials, 10 additional structures were later added to the project, thus contributing to the shift in the deadlines.
Notably, in the wake of rising traffic volumes, local residents have raised the requirement of safety measures at intersections. NHAI officials have stressed that the project will also include relocating a stormwater drain and pipelines, as they noted that the initial six km stretch from the Dwarka Expressway is a greenfield section.
