Delhi CM urges Centre to declare Mandi Road a national highway for better connectivity

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has written to Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, requesting that the 8.8-kilometre Mandi Road stretch be declared a national highway. The road serves as a key link between the national capital and the neighbouring cities of Gurgaon and Faridabad in Haryana.

In her letter dated Friday, the Chief Minister noted that the Delhi government has made several requests over the past year to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to take over the project. The aim is to streamline the widening and upgradation of Mandi Road from MG Road to the Delhi-Haryana border, officials said.

Ms. Gupta highlighted the road's importance in facilitating smooth inter-state traffic movement. She pointed out that the Governing Body of the Unified Traffic and Transportation Infrastructure (Planning & Engineering) Centre (UTTIPEC), a nodal agency focused on improving mobility across the National Capital Territory, had supported the proposal at its 68th meeting on September 27, 2023.

“Considering the road’s strategic significance, its existing and future traffic demand, and its direct connectivity with National Highway-148A, it should be considered for inclusion under the jurisdiction of the NHAI,” the Chief Minister wrote.

The proposal, if approved, would bring the stretch under the maintenance and development of the central agency, potentially accelerating infrastructure upgrades and reducing congestion for commuters traveling between Delhi and Haryana.