Focus on pollution, congestion: Govt clears dues of Rs 3,700 cr for two peripheral expressways, Pg5

Key Highlights:

• Delhi government approved the payment of Rs 3,700 crore for land acquisition related to the Eastern and Western Peripheral Expressways (EPE & WPE).
• The decision aims to reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality by diverting non-destined traffic, especially trucks, away from Delhi.
• Rs 500 crore will be released in the financial year 2025-26 to the NHAI, with the remaining amount paid in installments.
• The EPE and WPE, operational since 2018, form a 135 km six-lane ring road around Delhi through Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

Detailed Insights:

• The Eastern and Western Peripheral Expressways were designed to create a 'smart ring road' to channel non-Delhi bound traffic, particularly heavy and commercial vehicles.
• These expressways connect key regions in Haryana (Kundli, Manesar, Palwal) and Uttar Pradesh (Ghaziabad, Gautam Buddh Nagar, Baghpat), serving as a crucial logistics and trade backbone in North India.
• The project incorporates environmentally friendly features such as solar energy use and drip irrigation systems to promote greenery along the route.
• Reduced congestion has been observed on key routes like Ring Road, Outer Ring Road, NH-44, and NH-48, resulting in time and fuel savings for commuters.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Peripheral Expressway: A highway that bypasses a city center, designed to reduce traffic congestion within the urban area.
• Land Acquisition: The process by which a government obtains private land for public purposes, such as infrastructure projects, in exchange for compensation.
• National Highways Authority of India (NHAI): An autonomous agency of the Government of India responsible for the development, maintenance, and management of national highways.