Dwarka Expressway opens today; Key features you should know

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Haryana portion of the much anticipated Dwarka Expressway in Gurugram. The first elevated highway in India, this eight-lane high-speed expressway is anticipated to reduce traffic and increase flow between Delhi and Gurugram.

The Haryana portion consists of two packages: one from Basai ROB to Kherki Daula (Cloverleaf Interchange) (8.7 km) and the other from the Delhi-Haryana border to Basai ROB (10.2 km). The construction of the 19-km portion came at a cost of almost Rs 4,100 crore.

1. Elevates portion: Eight lanes, four on each side, make up the 19 km elevated portion of the Dwarka Expressway in Gurgaon, which was constructed on a single pier. This has two advantages: fewer land is used by the expressway structure, and more room is available for bigger service roads that will be used by heavy city traffic.

2. No establishments around highway: The expressway’s design ensures there can be no ribbon development – shops, houses, etc along its course or spurs – because there is no entry into the expressway from service roads.

3. 4-interchanges on expressway: The nation's first 4-level interchanges are found on the expressway at three locations: Shiv Murti, Yashobhoomi in Dwarka, and the approach to IMT Manesar in Gurgaon. This is because the expressway was constructed with future traffic numbers in mind. It will have four multi-level interchanges, such as tunnels or underpasses, an at-grade road section, an elevated flyover, and a flyover above flyover.

4. Shallow tunnel: The Delhi segment of the expressway, which is located close to the IGI airport, has an 8-lane, 3.6-kilometer tunnel. It's a "shallow tunnel," which means that tunnel boring machines are not required or a deep plunge is necessary. Because an elevated structure cannot be developed close to the airport, the tunnel became required.There is a designated control room and an emergency exit in the tunnel.

5. Construction details: For the total construction, it is estimated to consume 2 lakh MT of steel (30 times the steel used in the Eiffel Tower) and 20 lakh cubic metres of concrete (6 times the concrete used in the Burj Khalifa).

6. Total construction cost: The entire stretch is being built at a cost of about Rs 9,000 crore.

When did it all start?: 

Dwarka Expressway was first conceived in 2006 as a project started by the government of Haryana. But due to issues with property acquisition and legal disputes, the road could not be finished for over ten years. Eventually, National Highways Authority of India took it up. The Dwarka Expressway was officially designated a national route in concept in 2016. The original road that Haryana was building would run below the elevated highway that NHAI had redrew.