Target to complete Eastern/Western EWAY in 400 days: Gadkari

The government has set a deadline of 400 days to complete the Eastern and Western Peripheral Expressway, which aim to decongest the traffic in national capital, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari today said.
"The government is committed to decongest Delhi. We have set an ambitious target. This is to complete the Eastern and Western Peripheral Expressway in 400 days", Road Transport and Highways Minister Gadkari told PTI.
He said the deadline has been made clear to NHAI, Haryana government officials and others so that all issues related to completion of the projects are addressed on time.
"The Prime Minister has called me asking to complete the projects as early as possible and has shown keen interest in decongesting Delhi", Gadkari said.

"We are committed to complete the same in 400 days instead of earlier deadline of two-and-a-half years", Gadkari said.
The Prime Minister last month laid the foundation stone of three national highway projects - the Eastern Peripheral Highway, Western Peripheral Highway and 8 laning of the National Highway between Mukarba Chowk in Delhi and Panipat in Haryana.

The projects, having a combined length of 341 km will be build at an estimated cost of Rs 10,166 crore and will run through Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi.
The Eastern Peripheral Expressway will be 135 km long and cost Rs 5,763 crore while the 136 km Western Peripheral Expressway will cost Rs 2,274 crore. The 8 laning of the third project will cost Rs 2,129 crore.

Earlier, Gadkari had said that Delhi's pollution has been catching all attention, but the government will solve the problem in two years as massive attention is being paid to improving road designs, decongesting traffic and promoting eco-friendly fuel like ethanol.
He said his Ministry is also committed to minimise road accidents as these cause losses worth Rs 55,000 crore per annum which is equivalent to 3 per cent of the GDP.
India accounts for about 5 lakh accidents annually in which 1.5 lakh people lose their lives while another about 3 lakh are crippled for life.