Work on NH-48 stack interchange on track, June 3 finish targeted

Nearly three months after the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) began work on a stack interchange on the NH-48, officials associated with the project on Wednesday said the pace of work is on track, and added that they are targeting June 3 as the date of completion.

The June 14 deadline for the project has not been expedited, the officials stressed, but with only around 20% of the work remaining on the stack interchange, the contractor will likely finish work by June 3, they said.

The NHAI on March 14 had diverted traffic for 90 days between Rangpuri and Rajokri on the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway, which is part of NH-48, to construct a four-level stack interchange at Shiv Murti, which will connect multiple expressways such as the Dwarka Expressway, Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway, Urban Extension Road 2, Nelson Mandela Marg in Vasant Kunj, and Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport through a series of underpasses and flyovers.

According to the highways authority, around 300,000 vehicles use this NH-48 stretch daily, but the diversions and aversion measures put in place to relieve the mess around the closed portion of the highway has led to multiple traffic snarls on the busy stretch, particularly during the morning and evening rush hour.

Officials with J Kumar Infra Pvt Ltd, the contractor for the stack interchange, said two 40m portions of a flyover from Delhi towards the Dwarka Expressway have been completed, and two 100m tunnels — from the Dwarka Expressway towards Gurugram, and from the Dwarka Expressway towards Nelson Mandela Road — have been constructed, and road-laying work is in progress at both tunnels.

Rajendra Singh Rawat, project manager, J Kumar Infra Pvt Ltd, said, “The work on two portions of the flyover has been completed. The work on the tunnels is also in the final stage… We are holding daily meetings to review the work and to ensure that the pace remains constant. The work on major structures is almost complete and now 20% work is remaining. We want to ensure that the traffic diversion on the highway is removed by June 3.”

A second official, who did not share their name because they are unauthorised to speak to the media, said the contractor’s managing director Kamal Gupta is holding daily meetings through video conferencing to review the status of construction.

A senior NHAI official said the heavy lifting of the project has been completed. “We are very hopeful that this work will be completed before the 90 days period. Work is going on full speed and all efforts are being made to complete it before the deadline,” the official said, declining to be named.

SS Yadav, special commissioner of police (traffic), said, “If the closed portion of the highway opens on June 3, it will be a milestone to connect the Millennium City to the National Capital. It is really a commendable job on the part of the NHAI. Traffic will be smooth, but we will man the area for the first few days to check any teething problems.”