Delhi KMP Expressway Western Peripheral Expressway : Delhiites can somewhat breathe easy now. The opening of the much-awaited Western Peripheral Expressway (WPE) on Monday is expected to reduce the number of non-Delhi destined commercial vehicles, which add to air pollution, in the city by around 30%. The air quality has been deteriorating in Delhi since last month with vehicular emissions being among the reasons for it.
Opinion
20/11/2018
1553.
SUB : Delhi KMP Expressway Western Peripheral Expressway :
Delhiites can somewhat breathe easy now. The opening of the much-awaited Western Peripheral Expressway (WPE) on Monday is expected to reduce the number of non-Delhi destined commercial vehicles, which add to air pollution, in the city by around 30%. The air quality has been deteriorating in Delhi since last month with vehicular emissions being among the reasons for it.
REF : PM Modi inaugurates KMP expressway; road to help Delhi breathe easy, cut traffic snarls : Ashish Mishra and Vatsla Shrangi : Hindustan Times, New Delhi : Nov 19, 2018 13:20 IST
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the WPE, popularly known as Kundali-Manesar-Palwal (KMP) expressway. Environmentalists and transport experts say that the government should now focus on developing freight complexes and warehouses along Delhi’s borders to further prevent the entry of trucks, which have to enter the city to off-load goods.
The loop will be completed with the opening of the 135km long KMP as the Eastern Peripheral Expressway (EPE) was inaugurated six months back. KMP will significantly reduce the number of trucks entering Delhi. It will connect National Highway-1 (towards Panipat), near Kundli, with National Highway -10 (Rohtak Road, near Bahadurgarh), NH-8 (Jaipur expressway at Manesar), and NH-2 (Delhi-Agra highway near Palwal).
The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) is hopeful that the traffic on EPE will increase significantly with the opening of KMP expressway. In a recent report submitted to the Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA), the NHAI said that only 16,000 commercial vehicles were using the EPE against expected 25,000-30,000. “A large number of trucks coming from NH-1 and heading towards NH-2, NH-8 and NH-10 used to avoid EPE and enter Delhi as it was a shorter route. These vehicles had to drive 15-20 km extra. However, the opening of the KMP will provide a direct link and we hope that non-destined trucks won’t enter the city,” said an NHAI official.
Planned after the Supreme Court’s directions in February 2005, the two peripheral highways (EPE and WPE), experts say, will help in reducing pollution levels as it would lead to traffic congestion.
Sunita Narain, a member of the SC-appointed Environment Pollution Control Authority, said that the opening of the expressway was a major part of the strategy of diverting non-destined truck traffic from Delhi. “In the studies done so far, at least 30% or more of the total trucks coming to the capital were not destined for Delhi. The strategy was to find an effective bypass for these non-destined trucks, which will now be provided by both eastern and western expressways,” she said.
She said once the Radio Frequency Identification system, which allows electronic collection of toll and environment compensation charge, is made operational, it will act as a disincentive for trucks and discourage them from entering Delhi.
Truckers say the new expressway will dramatically cut down travel time, as non-destined trucks do not have to enter the city. All India Motor Transport Congress chairman K S Aitwal said with KMP all the important highways around the national capital are now linked due to which trucks do not have to necessarily pass through the city.
Aitwal added that trucks coming from Jaipur (NH-8) and destined to Punjab (NH-1) will no longer have to take the Outer Ring Road. These vehicles will now directly reach their destinations in Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan without entering Delhi. “The KMP will help the non-destined truckers to do away with the green tax, police harassment, MCD (Municipal Corporation of Delhi) toll, and heavy traffic. A detour of 10-15 km will not discourage the truck drivers to use KMP as it would give high-speed access to their destinations,” he said.
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10 facts about the project which took 15 years to complete :
- KMP expressway is also known as Western Peripheral Expressway (WPE). Along with the Eastern Peripheral Expressway (EPE), it is expected to divert more than 50,000 heavy vehicles away from Delhi as vehicles going from north India to the western and southern parts of the country would be able to do so without passing through the capital.
- Proposed in 2003, both expressways were expected to be completed by 2009 but missed several deadlines since then due to various reasons including land acquisition hurdles. Work resumed in 2014 after a Supreme Court order and both expressways were completed this year.
- Initially, the 135.6 km four lane WPE from Kundli in Sonipat to Palwal near Faridabad was planned to have four lanes but it was later expanded to six lanes.
- The six-lane expressway, which cost over Rs 9000 crore - Rs 6,400 crore on construction and Rs 2,988 crore to acquire land, will have parking lots, refilling stations, police stations, a trauma centre, helipad, refreshment centres, and recreational facilities. An ambulance, a crane and a police patrol vehicle with a helpline number have been stationed in every 20 km for speedy response in case of accidents or emergencies.
- The expressway’s Manesar-Palwal Section, which has already been opened earlier this year, is 52.33-km-long and has 32 agricultural underpasses, three intersections and four toll plazas. The over 83-km-long Kundli-Manesar stretch has six box culverts, 58 pipe culverts, eight minor bridges, six major bridges, four road over bridges, 35 underpasses, 21 vehicular underpasses, 23 cattle crossings and 38 pedestrian crossings.
- The entire road has been designed in such a manner that light vehicles can run at a speed of 120 kmph whereas heavy vehicles can travel at 100 kmph.
- The expressway would cover five districts--Sonipat, Jhajjar, Gurugram, Mewat and Palwal. With the opening of the expressway, traffic congestion would reduce in the national capital region while northern and southern Haryana will get a high-speed link
- None of the natural drains, road crossings, and revenue roads were blocked while building the highway, which seeks to ensure the natural movement of people, water and other elements does not get blocked, according to KMP expressway project director Vilas Misal.
- To prevent mudslides, vetiver (khus) grass, which has strong and deep roots, has been planted. Vetiver will also consume a large amount of carbon dioxide as it is a very environment-friendly plant, said Pardeep Goyal, vice president of Essel Infraprojects, the contractor for the project. Also
- Two rows of shrubs will be planted in the median and two rows of trees like neem, arjun, and sheesham on the sides, while fountains, historical and cultural monuments have come up at various locations to improve the aesthetic look of the expressway.
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OPINION : Western Peripheral Expressway: PM Modi opens Kundli-Manesar-Palwal expressway! 10 facts about big project : Devanjana Nag : FINANCIAL EXPRESS
Western Peripheral Expressway: PM Modi opens Kundli-Manesar-Palwal expressway! 10 facts about big project
*The design speed for light vehicles on this expressway is of 120 kmph, while for heavy vehicles, it is of 100 kmph.
Western Peripheral Expressway: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has today inaugurated the much-delayed Kundli-Manesar-Palwal Expressway in Haryana’s Gurgaon district – a project that will divert heavy polluting vehicles from Delhi. Also, known as the Western Peripheral, the project is a part of the Peripheral Expressways project, which was first conceived in the year 2003 in order to reduce the pressure of non-destined commercial transit traffic in the national capital. Thus, the project was divided into Eastern Peripheral Expressway, inaugurated earlier this year and Western Peripheral Expressway. With the Western Peripheral Expressway, the national capital has also got its 4th ring-road. Here are 10 facts about the 135-km long Western Peripheral Expressway, and why it is an important infrastructure project:
1) The Western Peripheral Expressway project has been developed at a cost of Rs 6,400 crore out of which Rs 2,788 crore was spent to acquire 3,846 acres of land.
2) The stretch from Kundli to Manesar, which is over 83 km, would have 56 underpasses/agricultural vehicular underpasses, 14 major/minor bridges, 7 intersections and 7 toll plazas. The width of the median at this stretch is of 8 km.
3) On the other hand, the Manesar-Palwal stretch, which is over 52 km, would include 32 underpasses/agricultural vehicular underpass, 3 intersections and 4 toll plazas. The toll collection on Manesar-Palwal stretch was started on July 15, 2018.
4) The design speed for light vehicles on this expressway is of 120 kmph, while for heavy vehicles, it is of 100 kmph.
5) Now, with the opening of the Western Peripheral Expressway, there will be high speed connectivity between northern and southern districts of Haryana. The Western Peripheral Expressway links to the National Highway 1 (Panipat to Delhi), National Highway-8 (Jaipur-Gurgaon-Delhi road), National Highway-10 (Hisar-Rohtak-Delhi road).
6) Also, the Western Peripheral Expressway will provide uninterrupted high-speed link for traffic, especially commercial traffic, from Haryana to neighbouring states. Additionally, the expressway would decongest the road traffic from the national capital and thereby reduce pollution. Various reports suggest that with the opening of the Western Peripheral Expressway, around 50,000 less vehicles will enter Delhi roads per day!
7) Interestingly, two rows of shrubs will be planted in the median. Also, on each side, two rows of trees such as Neem, Arjun, and Sheesham would be planted, a Haryana government spokesman was quoted saying in a PTI report.
8) Additionally, to conserve and save water, a drip irrigation system would be adopted for median plantation, the spokesman said.
9) To improve the aesthetic look of the expressway, fountains, historical and cultural monuments have been made at various locations. Also, four sites have been earmarked for wayside amenities.
10) An ambulance, a crane and a police patrol vehicle with a helpline number have been stationed at a distance of every 20 km for speedy response in case of emergencies or accidents.
JAIHIND
VANDE MATARAM
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