The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has lined up road infrastructure projects totalling 2,105 km in length and costing ₹1.04 lakh crore to ease chronic traffic congestion across New Delhi, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari told the Lok Sabha on Thursday, 23 July. The disclosure came in response to a parliamentary question, underscoring the scale of federal investment being directed at the capital's gridlocked road network.

Key Projects on the Table

Among the flagship proposals is a six-lane greenfield corridor stretching from the Delhi-Noida-Direct (DND) Flyway to Faridabad-Sonha, estimated at ₹4,583 crore. Equally significant is the planned construction of a six-lane road tunnel at Shiv Murti, designed to link Dwarka Expressway (NH-248BB) and NH 48 with Nelson Mandela Marg in Vasant Kunj — a project pegged at ₹6,969.67 crore.

South Delhi in Focus

Responding specifically to BJP's South Delhi Member of Parliament Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, Gadkari confirmed that the Centre has separately taken up proposals targeting southern parts of the capital. These include upgradation of the Ashram Chowk to Badarpur Border stretch, the Mehrauli-Gurgaon Road, and the INA to Mahipalpur corridor, as well as construction of an interchange at Kalindi Kunj Junction up to Okhla Barrage. Bidhuri had specifically sought details on making Mathura Road and Mehrauli-Gurgaon Road signal-free and building an elevated road from INA to Mahipalpur.

How Costs and Timelines Are Determined

Gadkari clarified that the cost and execution timelines for each project are determined after feasibility studies conducted under Detailed Project Reports (DPRs), followed by sanction from the competent authority. He emphasised that the development and maintenance of National Highways is a continuous process, with new projects taken up based on techno-economic feasibility, traffic density, and alignment with the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan.

What This Means for Delhi Commuters

Delhi consistently ranks among Asia's most congested cities, with arterial corridors in the south — including Mathura Road and Mehrauli-Gurgaon Road — among the worst affected during peak hours. This is one of the largest single-package road investment disclosures for the capital in recent years. Notably, several of the proposed corridors have been under discussion for over a decade, making the allocation of DPR-stage funding a meaningful, if early, step forward. The actual construction timelines will depend on land acquisition, environmental clearances, and project sanction — processes that have historically caused delays in urban highway projects.