New Delhi: The long-delayed Barapullah Elevated Road Phase-III project, connecting Sarai Kale Khan to Mayur Vihar Phase-III, is finally nearing completion, with 87 per cent of the work already done and key clearances expected soon, according to senior government officials. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, who chaired a high-level meeting of the Expenditure Finance Committee on Monday, reviewed the progress and assured full budgetary support to complete the project on time.
“This project will significantly ease traffic between South and East Delhi. It is a crucial corridor that the people of Delhi have been waiting for far too long,” said CM Rekha Gupta, adding, “We are committed to completing it without any further delay.”
Approved by the Delhi Cabinet in September 2011, the elevated road project began construction in April 2015 with a projected cost of Rs 1,260.63 crore and a 30-month timeline. However, repeated delays and administrative hurdles pushed it off track. So far, Rs 1,238.68 crore has already been spent, with the total estimated cost now revised to Rs 1,330 crore. For the financial year 2025–26, Rs 150 crore has been allocated, out of which Rs 86.43 crore was utilised by June. Officials informed the CM that once the pending permission for tree removal is granted, work will pick up pace.
Amid the renewed push for completion, CM Rekha Gupta also ordered a probe into past financial and procedural lapses in the project. She directed the Anti-Corruption Branch to investigate the Rs 175 crore payment made to the contractor following a High Court order, which she described as the result of “gross negligence by the previous AAP government.”
“This is yet another example of misgovernance and delay. The contractor was stopped from executing work, and no effort was made to resolve the dispute. Even when the contractor offered to settle for Rs 35 crore, the government ignored it, leading to a Rs 175 crore payout, including interest and GST,” said Gupta.
She also criticised the then government for not filing a review petition and failing to take action against the officers responsible. “The burden of this payment affected other critical PWD works,”
she said. PWD Minister Pravesh Sahib Singh and senior officials were present at the review meeting.
CM Gupta assured that the vigilance enquiry would not impact ongoing construction. “Strict action will be taken against any official found complicit. But our focus remains on timely and quality completion of this vital infrastructure project,” she added.