Delhi CM seeks national highway status for Mandi Road to boost NCR connectivity
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has written a letter to Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, requesting that the 8.8-kilometer Mandi Road in south Delhi be declared a national highway. In the letter, Gupta proposed that the development of this crucial stretch, which connects the Mehrauli-Gurugram Road near Chhatarpur Metro station to the Gurugram-Faridabad Road at the Delhi-Haryana border, be handed over to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).
According to the Chief Minister, upgrading Mandi Road to a national highway will significantly strengthen road connectivity across the Delhi-NCR region. She emphasized that the transition would provide a much-needed boost to regional economic growth by improving commuter and freight movement.
Mandi Road is currently considered a strategically important transport corridor. It serves as a vital link connecting Delhi with its neighbouring economic centres, Gurugram and Faridabad. Gupta noted that declaring the road a national highway would facilitate smoother inter-state traffic movement between these major cities.
In her appeal to Gadkari, Gupta highlighted that the road needs to be brought under the jurisdiction of the NHAI to ensure an integrated development plan. This administrative shift would help implement uniform engineering standards and ensure the timely upgradation of the busy corridor, keeping in mind both the existing and future traffic demands of the area.
The proposal to upgrade the road is backed by prior planning assessments. The governing body of the Unified Traffic and Transportation Infrastructure (Planning & Engineering) Centre (UTTIPEC) had previously recognized the strategic importance of Mandi Road. During its 68th meeting held on September 27, 2023, UTTIPEC supported the proposal for widening and comprehensively developing the road, according to a statement from the Chief Minister's Office.
By transferring the road to the NHAI, local authorities hope to resolve traffic bottlenecks along the Delhi-Haryana border and establish a more robust transit network for commuters travelling between Delhi, Gurugram, and Faridabad.
