GURGAON: The Haryana government has approved a 5.5 km signal-free elevated corridor from Vatika Chowk to the CPR cloverleaf, connecting Dwarka Expressway with the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway at Sohna. This decision was made during a GMDA board meeting in Chandigarh, chaired by Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini. The Rs 750-crore project includes Rs 130 crore for land acquisition at Vatika Chowk and is expected to take two years to complete once work begins.
The plan includes six lanes for both the main carriageway and service roads of the elevated corridor, with three lanes on each side. GMDA officials indicated that the existing SPR stretch will be converted into service lanes with entry and exit points to the elevated section. Additionally, 3-meter-wide footpaths, 2.5-meter-wide cycle tracks, and green belts will be developed on each side.
Currently, the stretch from the CPR cloverleaf to Vatika Chowk has traffic signals at three intersections, which will be removed. “We have received administrative approval for upgrading SPR from Vatika Chowk to the CPR cloverleaf on NH-8 for a signal-free elevated corridor. We will soon engage a consultant to prepare the detailed project report, along with design and technical specifications,” a senior GMDA official said.
The elevated section, once constructed, will help decongest major arterial roads like Golf Course Road and Sohna Road by providing an alternative route for commuters, reducing bottlenecks and travel time. Currently, commuters from Dwarka Expressway or Jaipur traveling to Sohna or Faridabad must cross the city’s heart through Rajiv Chowk or Subhash Chowk to access the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway.
The project to redevelop SPR, a crucial link providing direct connectivity between major residential sectors and commercial and industrial areas, was first planned in March 2019 and received administrative approval in June 2022. The initial plan was to redevelop the entire 14 km stretch from Ghata T-point to NH-8 by building eight flyovers, widening carriageways to six lanes, and adding service lanes at a cost of Rs 845.5 crore.
Concerns were raised about the necessity of building three flyovers between Vatika Chowk and the cloverleaf due to the relatively low traffic volume on this stretch. It was then suggested to elevate this portion for a seamless commute from Shiv Murti in Delhi to NH-8 and further to the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway. In a previous Authority meeting, then CM Manohar Lal Khattar had directed officials to redesign the project to connect SPR with the Dwarka and Delhi-Mumbai expressways.
In addition to the elevated corridor, the GMDA board also approved the revamp of Tau Devi Lal Stadium into a sports and recreation hub, as well as the augmentation of water supply and expansion of CCTV surveillance in the city. The stadium, situated on two national highways, will feature a cricket stadium, track and field facilities with a football ground, skating rink, swimming pool, golf course, volleyball and basketball courts, a shooting range, a hockey field, and a multi-purpose hall. This project will take 30 months after the work is allotted.
The board also approved the construction of a sixth filtration unit at the Chandu Budhera water treatment plant at a cost of Rs 78 crore, which will augment its capacity by 100 MLD. The Basai water plant will also get a new filtration unit, its fourth, at an estimated cost of Rs 247 crore.
Expressing concern over waterlogging in the city during monsoon, the CM directed GMDA officials to utilize all resources to promptly resolve the issue and instructed the chief secretary to hold the responsible officers accountable. The GMDA board also approved the installation of 10,000 CCTV cameras at 2,000 locations across the city at an estimated cost of Rs 422 crore. Additionally, the procurement of 200 electric buses was approved during the meeting.