Ghaziabad:NHAI proposes 628 crore redevelopment for GT Road

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has completed and forwarded the detailed project report (DPR) for the redevelopment of the 14.9km section of the bustling Grand Trunk (GT) Road which will be passing through Ghaziabad city, officials aware of the development said.

Officials said that the DPR estimates the project cost of about 628 crore and will include three elevated stretches to ease and decongest the city traffic.According to officials, the DPR has been sent to NHAI headquarters earlier this week and is slated for discussion and approval by a committee of officials, including representatives from Niti Ayog, the NHAI chairman, NHAI board members, and other senior officials.

The redevelopment plan extends from Gyani Border near the Delhi border to the Lal Kuan intersection, adjacent to the Ghaziabad/Gautam Budh Nagar border. From Lal Kuan, traffic will encounter the first elevated section near a mall close to the bustling Chaudhary Morh intersection, heading towards the commercial center of Ghanta Ghar.

“This will be an elevated corridor spanning approximately 1.5 kilometres. Subsequently, the second elevated section will be a two-laned flyover situated alongside the existing Thakurdwara flyover. Originally, there were plans to demolish the upper portions of the Thakurdwara flyover, but this plan has been discarded. The proposal now suggests constructing a two-lane flyover alongside the existing one. Thus, one flyover with two lanes will cater to traffic from Lal Kuan to Mohan Nagar, while the other will facilitate traffic from Mohan Nagar to Lal Kuan,” said an NHAI officer attached to the project and not authorised to speak to media.The DPR also includes a 400-metre flyover proposal aimed at easing congestion at the busy Meerut crossing intersection, which houses the New Bus Adda metro station and a new station for the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) project.

“The flyover will commence from the Meerut Road side, guiding traffic through a curve toward the river Hindon metro station. At that point, the new flyover will merge traffic onto an existing GT Road flyover. The project cost of 628 crore encompasses 128 crore, earmarked for UP agencies to cover utility shifting, drain restructuring, overlays, etc. The remaining ₹500 crore is intended to be funded by NHAI,” the officer said.

According to DPR estimates, the redevelopment project will benefit thousands of commuters who utilize the GT Road through various connecting intersections, including the Delhi Meerut Expressway (DME), Hapur Road, Ambedkar Road, Railway Road, Ramte Ram Road, Delhi Meerut Road, Meerut Crossings, and Mohan Nagar.Official traffic flow figures indicate about 197,509 vehicles per day at the Mohan Nagar intersection, approximately 106,215 vehicles for DME, roughly 130,108 for Ambedkar Road, around 115,693 for Railway Road, and approximately 140,031 for Hapur Road.The GT Road segment falls under the jurisdiction of the UP Public Works Department (PWD). In June 2022, the PWD and NHAI conducted a drone survey, after which the PWD proposed that NHAI take over the road.

“We are prepared to hand over the road to NHAI whenever they wish, following our proposal. Due to the pending DPR and redevelopment project, we have refrained from undertaking major infrastructure work on the road. We are also awaiting a copy of the DPR,” said Ram Raja, executive engineer from PWD.NHAI officials have indicated that once the committee of officials approves the DPR, a completion timeline ranging from 24-30 months from the tender award date will be determined and finalized.
The redevelopment project encompasses the development of flyovers, widening, and beautification of the existing GT Road, drainage system development, pedestrian and cyclist pathways, among other features.