Today PM Modi inaugurated extension of Delhi Metro violet line and Kundali-Manesar-Palwal (KMP) Expressway or Western Peripheral Expressway, from Sultanpur village in Ballabgarh district of Haryana. He was also accompanied by Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar. The two major projects can prove to be vital in tackling problems of pollution, which is haunting NCR for the past few months.
Western Peripheral Expressway
Western Peripheral Expressway or Kundali-Manesar-Palwal(KMP), reportedly will curb the menace of pollution by 30% by diverting 50,000 vehicles from entering Delhi. Trucks and other vehicles from one side of Delhi going to another side have been a major reason for congestion of Delhi roads and pollution in the city. As the vehicles have to go through Delhi even when it is not their destination. The expressway will also cut travel time of vehicles, who want to go to other parts of the country without entering Delhi.
The 6-lane 135 km Western Peripheral Expressway along with Eastern Peripheral Expressway, has completed a nearly 270-km ‘ring expressway’ around Delhi. KMP has three sections, which cuts four National Highways- NH 1, NH 2, NH 8 and NH 10. Each section spans, 45 km each.
The inaugurated section of 83 km is an extension of the 53 km Manesar to Palwal section which was inaugurated by Nitin Gadkari in April 2016. The total length of expressway now is almost 135 km. The 83-km Kundli to Manesar stretch will have 14 bridges, 56 underpasses, seven intersections and seven toll plazas. According to reports, neem and Arjun trees will be planted on both sides of the expressway and bougainvillaea plants of different colours will be planted on the divider. The Expressway will also be accompanied by sculptors, signifying rich history of Haryana, yoga and Gita.
The work on the expressway had started almost 15 years ago and was scheduled to be completed by 2009, but the progress was very slow and the contractor failed to meet the deadlines. Later, work on the project was stalled due to litigation. After BJP came to power in centre and then in Haryana, new contracts were issued in 2015 and the work has been completed within the scheduled deadline.
PM Modi attacked the previous government for this delay. “You should have got this expressway nearly 8-9 years ago, but the previous government ensured that you did not,” he said. He added that this proves how the UPA government showed negligence and wasted public money. Modi also said that this culture of creating obstacles, delays and misguidance has caused huge loss for Haryana, its people, and the entire Delhi NCR.
PM Modi also reminded that the expressway was expected to be finished during the 2010 Commonwealth Games, but it faced the same fate as the games. Because it became a victim of bad decisions by the previous dispensation. And the delays have caused the cost of the project to increase from Rs 1200 crore to Rs 6500 crore.
Extension of Delhi Metro into Haryana
PM also inaugurated an extension of the violate line of Delhi Metro today. The Delhi Metro mainly operates in Delhi, but it has extensions in NCR area of UP (Noida and Ghaziabad) and Haryana (Gurgaon, Faridabad etc) also.
Violet line which previously spanned from Kashmere Gate to Escorts Mujesar, is now extended to Ballabhgarh of Haryana. The extension will help commuters travelling between Ballabhgarh and Delhi. Ballabgarh is an industrial area and soon transforming into an urban settlement.
The violet line extension has opened two new metro stations in Haryana, Sant Surdas and Raja Nahar Singh in the city of Ballabgarh. Previously Delhi Metro was active in three cities of Gurgaon, Faridabad and Bahadurgarh.
The extension has increased corridor area of Delhi Metro to 317 km. DMRC (Delhi Metro Rail Corporation) had entered the elite league of metros with 300 km of the track last month by the opening of 17.86 km long section of Pink Line metro between Shiv Vihar and Trilokpuri Sanjay Lake. It helped Delhi Metro cross 300 km of operational length.
