A 3-hour peak-hour drive from Sarai Kale Khan to Sohna and Palwal took 45 minutes during trials, final stretch of Delhi-Faridabad expressway corridor completed | Delhi News
NEW DELHI: A journey from Sarai Kale Khan to Sohna and Palwal that usually takes around three hours during peak traffic was completed in 40-45 minutes during trial runs of a new expressway corridor, South Delhi MP Ramvir Singh Bidhuri said on Monday, announcing the completion of its final stretch.Sources indicated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi may inaugurate the corridor later this year.Bidhuri, along with Union road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari, recently inspected the stretch while the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) was conducting load testing and other technical evaluations.Once fully operational, the corridor is expected to improve connectivity between Delhi and key destinations in Haryana, including Faridabad, Sohna and Palwal. It will connect Sarai Kale Khan with Jaitpur and Meethapur before extending towards Faridabad and linking up with the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal (KMP) Expressway and the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway network.The DND-Faridabad-Sohna Access Controlled Highway (NH-148A) is 59km long, while the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway stretch between the DND Flyway and Jaitpur covers another 9km. The DND-Jaitpur section provides a direct link from Delhi to the wider expressway network, while adjoining sections connect commuters to Faridabad and the KMP Expressway.The new corridor is expected to offer an alternative to existing routes used by commuters travelling from Delhi to Faridabad and other parts of southern Haryana.“This would be a major relief for the South Delhi constituency as the new corridor would help ease congestion at Ashram Chowk, Kalindi Kunj and along Mathura Road, besides reducing travel time and fuel consumption,” Bidhuri said. He added that the completion of the final stretch would provide a major boost to commuters travelling towards southern Haryana.Traffic heading towards Faridabad, Ballabhgarh and Sohna is expected to shift to the expressway, easing pressure on the congested Ring Road and Mathura Road. According to Bidhuri, the journey from the DND Flyway to Faridabad could take around 20 minutes, compared with the current 30 minutes required to cover the Ashram-Badarpur border section.Delhi stretch on trial, Haryana section operationalThe corridor comprises sections at different stages of operation. The 9km Delhi stretch between the DND Flyway and Jaitpur has opened on a trial basis. It is currently toll-free, with a speed limit of 40kmph, while NHAI monitors traffic movement.The 50km Haryana section, extending from Jaitpur towards Sohna and the KMP Expressway, has moved beyond the trial phase and is operational, with toll collection in place.The completion of the final stretch is expected to improve connectivity between Delhi and southern Haryana, although the extent of the time savings for commuters will depend on traffic conditions and the corridor’s operational arrangements.
