Gadkari Inaugurates Much-Awaited Palwal-Manesar Stretch of KMP

PALWAL (HARYANA), April 5: The pace of building highways has picked up to 20 kms a day, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said today as he inaugurated the long-awaited Palwal-Manesar stretch of the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal (KMP) Expressway. "Highways construction pace has now reached 20 kms a day with a target to reach 30 kms a day shortly. "The focus is to bring in policies aimed at improving the condition of villages, poor people, farmers and labourers. A strong infrastructure plays a major role in fostering development," the road transport and highways minister said. About the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal Expressway, Gadkari said the project had been languishing for several years but the Centre and Haryana government resolved the issues plaguing it and the 52.33 km long section has been completed in a record time of eleven months. Addressing a well attended public meeting, Gadkari announced that the remaining part of KMP E-way, connecting Manesar with Kundli, would be constructed with cement-concrete and a communique in this regard would be sent to the Haryana government tomorrow. Such a construction will not need maintenance for next 50 years and the drive will also be smooth and hassle free, he pointed out. About the Eastern and Western Peripheral Expressways, Gadkari said there are plans to complete these projects within 400 days. "Once the two peripheral expressways are ready, the traffic congestion in Delhi will come down by 50 percent, pollution levels will be reduced and the farmers, traders and the people of the region as a whole will benefit due to better connectivity," he said. The total length of KMP E-Way is 135.6 km and spans five districts of Sonepat, Jhajjar, Gurgaon, Mewat and Palwal. The stretch between Palwal and Manesar has been completed at a cost of Rs 457.81 crore. Now, the National Highway-2 (Delhi-Agra) is connected with NH-8 (Delhi-Jaipur), thus allowing vehicles going to Rajasthan and beyond a passage without entering Delhi. This stretch has four toll points. Though the stretch has been opened for traffic from today, toll is not being charged as of now. -PTI