All efforts being made to complete Delhi-Mumbai Expressway: Gadkari

Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Monday said all efforts are being made to complete the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway project expeditiously.

In a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Gadkari said, out of total length of the project, 350 km has already been constructed and works for construction of 825 km is in progress.

Gadkari said bids for remaining 163 kms length have been received/ invited and these balance works are likely to be awarded in the current financial year.

"Out of the total length of Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, 350 km has already been constructed and works for construction of 825 km is in progress," he said.

The target date for completion of the complete corridor of Delhi-Mumbai Expressway is January 2023.

"In ongoing packages, there are certain slippages on account of the ongoing COVID pandemic. All efforts are being made to complete the project expeditiously," Gadkari noted.

Replying to a separate question, he said at present, implementation of 7 expressways having length of 2,507 km has been taken up.

"Out of 2,507 kms, 440 km has been completed," Gadkari said, adding that the ministry has issued detailed guidelines dated June 3, 2020 for providing relief due to the COVID pandemic.

He said the road transport and highways ministry has issued guidelines for mandatory use of waste plastic in periodic renewal coat of pavement on National Highways and also in wearing course of service roads within 50 km periphery of urban areas having population of 5 lakhs or more.

To a separate question, Gadkari said at present, 701 fee plazas on National Highways and 149 fee plazas on State Highways are enabled with Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) infrastructure.

"As on July 11, 2021, a cumulative amount of Rs 52,386.58 crore has been collected through FASTag," he said.