After 18-year delay, shot in arm for Kalindi Kunj bypass road

The Kalindi Kunj bypass project, stuck in the planning stage for the last 18 years, may get a fresh lease of life with the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) now taking over the project from the Delhi government, officials familiar with the development said.

According to officials from the Delhi government’s Public Works Department (PWD), the arrangement was made after the project was delayed due to many reasons, including the Uttar Pradesh government not giving it permission to go ahead with construction work on its land.

The officials added that the NHAI had received the no-objection certificate (NOC) from the UP government and the Delhi government recently.

While details of the project are yet to be finalised, the 13.7-km project — 5.7km of which will be elevated — is expected to decongest Ashram Chowk and Mathura Road by offering an alternative route between Delhi and Faridabad. It was conceived in March 2000.

Once completed, the travel time to Faridabad will be reduced by at least 30 minutes. The project will benefit areas such as Kalindi Kunj, Sarita Vihar, Jasola, Ashram, Maharani Bagh, New Friends Colony, Okhla and parts of Noida. The estimated cost of the project is Rs 1,584 crore.

“The UP government was not transferring some tracts of land with them to us for the construction works and hence the entire project was stuck. The UP government, however, has allowed the NHAI to go ahead and has also given NOC to the NHAI,” a senior PWD official, who wished not to be named, said. “We have given NOC to the NHAI to execute the project. The NHAI is now preparing a detailed project report (DPR). If all goes well it should be completed maximum in next three years.”.

Hindustan Times spoke to wo senior NHAI officials who also confirmed the developments.

“Yes, we are in discussion phase (of taking over the project). We have got NOCs from the Uttar Pradesh as well as the Delhi government. However, some formalities are still being worked out. At present we are preparing the DPR for the project,” a senior NHAI official, privy to the developments, said on the condition of anonymity.

Another NHAI official also confirmed the developments and said that the central government agency had conducted a field survey with the PWD to explore the best possible options for the execution of the project.

“We will not change the alignment of the proposed bypass road which was prepared by the PWD. Once our DPR is ready, it will be sent to the union ministry of road transport for approval and then tenders will be called to award the work,” the official said.

The PWD had started the work on the project in 2003 but it was stopped in 2007 following objections. Then the plan was changed and now it is proposed to cross from above the Agra Canal to reach Kalindi Kunj.