Indian PM Modi launches two highways in big boost to Delhi-NCR development

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday inaugurated two major highway projects — the Delhi sections of the Urban Extension Road-II (UER-II) and the Dwarka Expressway — built at a combined cost of nearly ₹11,000 crore, in a move aimed at easing traffic congestion and improving connectivity across the National Capital Region (NCR).

Addressing the gathering in Rohini, Modi described Delhi as “a shining example of the development taking place in the country,” adding that the projects will ease travel, save time, and benefit farmers, traders and millions of residents.

The Prime Minister said that in the last decade, infrastructure in Delhi-NCR had become world-class, and new projects continue to build on that progress. He pointed out that UER-II had also helped reduce Delhi’s landfill mountains by using millions of tonnes of inert waste from the Ghazipur site in construction.

The UER-II, envisioned as Delhi’s third ring road, will divert freight traffic away from the city centre, cutting congestion on gridlocked Inner and Outer Ring Roads and busy intersections such as Mukarba Chowk and Dhaula Kuan. The highway is expected to cut travel time from Indira Gandhi International Airport to large parts of southwest and northwest Delhi by up to 60 per cent.

The Dwarka Expressway, meanwhile, will provide a direct bypass for the Delhi-Gurugram Expressway (NH-48) and a faster link to Yashobhoomi convention centre, Delhi Metro’s Blue and Orange Lines, and the upcoming Bijwasan railway station.

Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said the projects reflect the Prime Minister’s vision to decongest the capital and provide high-speed connectivity across NCR. In total, the roadworks add up to 563 km when combined with other highway packages.

PM Modi also met construction workers and praised their role in building the state-of-the-art infrastructure. “These projects will not just reduce travel time but also improve the standard of living for lakhs of people,” he said.

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta hailed the projects as a “historic gift” for the city, saying they will reduce pollution, improve trade flows, and uplift quality of life.

She highlighted that UER-II’s network will integrate with the Delhi-Jaipur National Highway, the KMP Expressway, and the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, creating faster routes to Chandigarh, Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir, Jaipur, and even Mumbai.

Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari said these two projects are expected to reduce traffic jams in Delhi by 50 per cent.

While the government has pitched the projects as transformative, some transport experts have cautioned that building new highways often shifts traffic bottlenecks rather than eliminating them.

Still, for Delhi residents weary of long commutes and chronic congestion, the new projects promise immediate relief.