NEW DELHI: The Delhi government gave the financial nod to the construction of service roads along both sides of the Najafgarh drain to boost connectivity in outer Delhi, chief minister Rekha Gupta said on Tuesday.The estimated construction cost is Rs 453.95 crore, which was approved in the Expenditure and Finance Committee (E&FC) meeting headed by the chief minister.“The primary objectives of the project are to reduce congestion on major roads, cut travel time and fuel consumption and lower vehicular emissions. The corridor will provide a new direction to Delhi’s transport infrastructure by developing an alternative intra-city route within the capital,” CM Gupta said.Under the project, a paved road approximately 61 km long and seven metres wide, a two-lane road will be constructed along the Najafgarh Drain. Separate tracks will be developed for walking, jogging and cycling, she added.As the drain and the area along it is under the jurisdiction of the Irrigation and Flood Control department (I&FC), the project was earlier approved by minister Parvesh Sahib Singh in December last year at its board meeting.The corridor will provide connectivity with major roads that include Outer Ring Road, Inner Ring Road, Shivaji Marg, Pankha Road, UER-II (connecting to NH-9 Rohtak Road), Najafgarh Road and other key routes.“At Basaidarapur, it will link with the Inner Ring Road, at Keshopur with the Outer Ring Road, at Vikaspuri link with Pankha Road, at Kakrola with Najafgarh Road and at Dhulsiras with UER-II, enabling direct access to the airport and the Dwarka Expressway,” the CM further said.The Delhi government aims to grant the necessary administrative approvals by March 2026, complete the tendering process by April 2026 and commence construction by May 2026. The project is targeted for completion by November 2027, she added.
