Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday inspected the under-construction DND-Faridabad-Sohna Access-Controlled Highway Project, a major infrastructure initiative aimed at improving connectivity across the Delhi-NCR region and ensuring seamless access to the upcoming Noida International Airport and the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway.
The ambitious project spans approximately 59.063 km and is being constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 4,463 crore. The six-lane access-controlled corridor will connect Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, Faridabad, Gurugram and Sohna through a high-speed transport network, significantly reducing travel time and improving regional mobility across the National Capital Region (NCR).
One of the most significant engineering features of the project is the construction of a 140-metre-long network arch bridge (NAB), regarded as one of India's most advanced steel bridge structures. The bridge has been designed using modern tied-arch technology along with a crossed-hanger arrangement to provide greater structural strength, long-term durability and enhanced resistance to seismic activity.
The highway project incorporates several advanced construction technologies and engineering practices, including removable temporary steel pile supports over irrigation canals, precast segmental construction technology, launching girders, high-strength E450 steel, Grade 10.9 bolts, high-damping rubber bearings and swivel expansion joints.
In a major push towards sustainable infrastructure development, nearly two lakh metric tonnes of inert material generated through bio-mining of the Okhla and Ghazipur landfill sites have been utilised in road construction. This has helped reduce dependence on natural borrow materials. The project also includes landscaping, tree plantation drives and the installation of noise barriers to minimise environmental impact.
During the inspection, the minister also reviewed the ongoing project aimed at connecting the proposed Noida International Airport with the DND-Faridabad Bypass in Haryana and the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway. The project is expected to reduce air traffic pressure on Indira Gandhi International Airport by improving direct road access to the upcoming airport at Jewar.
The 31.425-km-long expressway project is being developed at a cost of Rs 2,360 crore. It includes the construction of a fully access-controlled six-lane divided carriageway with flexible pavement from Chandawali village near Faridabad to Dayanapur in Gautam Buddha Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh, along with sections featuring an eight-lane divided carriageway.
After completion, traffic coming from North India towards Noida International Airport will be able to use Eastern Peripheral Expressway, thereby significantly reducing traffic pressure within Delhi. Commuters from South Delhi, Faridabad and Gurugram will also get direct and faster connectivity to the airport.
The project includes four major interchanges at the DND-Sohna Highway, Eastern Peripheral Expressway, Yamuna Expressway and DFCC crossing locations. An elevated corridor and an eight-lane road over bridge (ROB) at the DFCCIL crossing are also being developed to ensure uninterrupted and high-speed connectivity to the airport.
The corridor forms a crucial part of the greenfield connectivity between the DND-Ballabgarh Bypass and Noida International Airport while integrating with the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway. The route also passes through the Faridabad Master Plan-2031 development zone, which has been earmarked for future urban expansion and infrastructure growth across the NCR.
Plan to decongest Delhi
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has announced the Delhi decongestion plan, a comprehensive infrastructure programme aimed at reducing traffic congestion and pollution across the National Capital Region (NCR). The initiative involves projects worth approximately Rs 1.25 lakh crore, with works worth Rs 1 lakh crore underway and Rs 25,000 crore of schemes proposed.
Addressing a press conference, the Minister said that key projects under the plan include the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway Extension (NE-5) linking KMP to UER-II, the UER-II Northern Extension from Alipur to the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway, and the UER-II Eastern Extension connecting Ghaziabad and Noida with the Yamuna Expressway and DND corridor. Major urban decongestion works also include the Shiv Murti-Nelson Mandela Marg signal-free corridor, AIIMS/INA to Mahipalpur elevated route, and the Kalindi Kunj interchange at Okhla Barrage.
Additional corridors include the Outer Ring Road to Punjabi Bagh route, Sri Aurobindo Marg to Gurugram border spur, Ashram Flyover to Badarpur corridor, and the 26.2 km UER-II service road network.
He said the integrated plan will link highways with metro corridors (Yellow, Violet and Green Lines), introduce signal-free tunnels and elevated bypasses, and improve connectivity across Delhi, Gurugram, Noida and Faridabad. The project aims to significantly reduce travel time, ease freight movement, and cut emissions, creating a more efficient transport system for NCR.