Cabinet Grants Approval for 6-Lane Zirakpur Bypass with ₹1,878 Crore Investment
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Synopsis
On April 9, 2023, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, greenlit the six-lane Zirakpur bypass in Punjab and Haryana. The project, which comes with a cost of ₹1,878.31 crore, aims to enhance transportation infrastructure in the region.
Key Takeaways
- The Cabinet approved a six-lane Zirakpur bypass.
- Investment of ₹1,878.31 crore on hybrid annuity mode.
- Bypass length: 19.2 km.
- Aims to reduce congestion in Zirakpur and Panchkula.
- Enhances connectivity to Himachal Pradesh.
New Delhi, April 9 (NationPress) The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has sanctioned the development of a six-lane Zirakpur bypass in Punjab and Haryana with an investment of Rs 1,878.31 crore utilizing a hybrid annuity model. This 19.2-km bypass commences at the intersection with NH-7 (Zirakpur-Patiala) and concludes at the junction with NH-5 (Zirakpur-Parwanoo).
The approval, as stated by the CCEA, marks a crucial advancement in promoting integrated transport infrastructure growth in line with the PM Gatishakti National Master Plan.
The bypass adheres to the Punjab Government Master Plan and terminates at the junction with NH-5 (Zirakpur-Parwanoo) in Panchkula, Haryana, thereby circumventing the densely populated and congested areas of Zirakpur in Punjab and Panchkula in Haryana.
As per the CCEA, the primary objective of this initiative is to alleviate congestion in Zirakpur, Panchkula, and nearby regions by redirecting traffic from Patiala, Delhi, and Mohali Aerocity, while also enhancing direct access to Himachal Pradesh.
“This proposal seeks to cut down travel times and guarantee smooth traffic flow in the congested urban sectors of NH-7, NH-5, and NH-152,” stated the government.
The administration has embarked on decongesting the urban areas of Chandigarh, Panchkula, and Mohali through the establishment of a road network, which will take the form of a ring road, with the Zirakpur bypass being a pivotal element of this undertaking.
Recently, the CCEA also approved the construction of a 4-lane access-controlled greenfield and brownfield corridor, the Patna-Arrah-Sasaram route, extending from Patna over a length of 120 km to Sasaram in Bihar. This project will be implemented under the Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM) at an estimated total cost of Rs 3,712.40 crore, as announced after the CCEA gathering.
The HAM is a public-private partnership (PPP) framework aimed at rejuvenating private sector involvement in road infrastructure initiatives. Under this model, the government covers 40% of the project cost as an annuity payment to the private developer throughout the concession period, while the remaining 60% is financed by the private developer through debt or equity.
