Govt okays Rs 1,000 cr projects to ease Delhi, Gurgaon traffic

To ease traffic in Gurgaon and Delhi, the government today approved projects at an estimated cost of Rs 1,000 crore under which underpasses and overbridges would be constructed at three junctions including Rajiv Chowk.
"The EFC (expenditure finance committee) today approved improvement of junctions at IFFCO Chowk, Signature Tower and Rajiv Chowk to decongest traffic in Delhi and Gurgaon," a senior Road Transport and Highways Ministry official said.
The three projects would be constructed at a cost of about Rs 1,000 crore, he said adding that three-layered underpasses, grid and overpasses would be constructed at these junctions to ease traffic.

The projects would be completed in a span of two-and-a-half years, the official said.
The decision to build the projects was taken in the EFC meeting, headed by Road Transport and Highways Secretary Sanjay Mitra.
In a bid to fast-track highways projects, the government last year empowered Road Transport and Highways Ministry to approve projects with civil construction cost up to Rs 1,000 crore.

This would be done by segregating civil construction cost from capital cost of projects.
"All NH projects with a civil construction cost of up to Rs 1,000 crore shall be appraised by SFC/EFC/PIB, headed by Secretary, Road Transport and Highways and approved by Minister, Road Transport and Highways," an official statement said.

Earlier, as per standard practice before getting an investment approval from the Cabinet/Cabinet Committee, all NH projects were first appraised by SFC/EFC/PIB/PPPAC. Besides, many rounds of appraisal were also carried out by various committees.