Travel time between Delhi-Jaipur to be reduced to 2 hours; MSMEs hail the move

Manesar, Sep 13 (KNN) Union Minister for Road Transport Nitin Gadkari had said that a new access control highway would be constructed between Delhi and Jaipur which would reduce the travel time between the cities to just two hours.

The 270-km distance takes over six hours by road now.

The Minister also said an "intelligent transport" system - with CCTV cameras installed to monitor the traffic rule violators - would be put in place on NH-8.

Reacting to the announcement, Vice President of Manesar Industries Welfare Association (MIWA), Manmohan Gaind told KNN that it would be benefitting the industrial goods movement as well as the people’s movement. But the issue is that old highway or the present lifeline has been virtually under construction since last 20 years. So how soon new road can be made is a big question mark."

Showing disagreement with the government's toll concept, he said that it would be a toll road and toll is a reality. "Toll as a concept is not bad. It is a concept of user paid but I have a disagreement with the government wherein they have not provided any alternate route and the only route you have is toll route. Wherever you charge toll government should give convenience to people."

While giving example, Gaind said “In Noida-Agra Expressway we pay toll and get the advantage and other option is Palwal Road which is a normal highway. So we have an option to take a palwal road or expressway. That kind of concept has to be there.”

Referring to the New Delhi-Jaipur access control highway, Gadkari said the project would cost Rs 16,000 crore and work on it will be started in January, 2017. The land acquisition process for the new highway would be started soon.

Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar urged him to get the 1.75-km stretch of this expressway, which falls in Delhi area, done quickly. (KNN Bureau)