“Work on this stretch had commenced in June 2008 and it was supposed to be ready by 2011, but it never happened during the erstwhile UPA government’s regime. When the NDA government came to power in 2014, I personally monitored the affairs of this project. Barring three flyovers, 57 of the structures, including flyovers, will be completed by <g data-gr-id="34">December,</g> when we will inaugurate the project,” said Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, while interacting with media on board a bus to Jaipur to review the much-delayed project.
“After completion of the project, the travel time between Delhi and Jaipur will be reduced to three hours from the current eight,” Gadkari said, adding that efforts are on to minimise accidents.
Holding officials responsible for the delay, the minister said: “The government is largely responsible for delays in this crucial highway project, which should have been completed by 2011. Completion of the Pink City Expressway project, which started in 2008, has been a priority for the ministry.”
The Delhi-Jaipur highway project has been delayed due to various reasons, including land acquisition and contractual issues.
The project cost of the 225-km highway has shot up to Rs 3,009 crore from Rs 1,896 crore. “Work for the remaining three structures is under progress and will be completed by March 2016,” Gadkari said.
He added that 14 banks have financed the project and in the last one year his ministry’s officials have had several meetings with the banks requesting them to refinance. In case bank finance is not available, the Centre will provide Rs 400 crore for the completion of the project.
The total length of the road is 225.2 km, of which 64.40 km comes under the jurisdiction of the Haryana <g data-gr-id="32">government,</g> while the remaining 160.8 km comes under the Rajasthan government.
It must be noted that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is the ruling both at the Centre and the state. Pink City Expressway Private Limited is the developer of the project.