Gurgaon: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is planning to partially open the Gurgaon–Pataudi–Rewari highway by the end of the month. In the first phase, the service road will be opened to traffic, marking the initial step in the highway’s phased rollout.Officials said that while most structural components of the project are nearing completion, the main carriageway at some stretches is still awaiting clearances.Delays linked to pending load-bearing drain works near the Dwarka Expressway and a transmission line passing over the stretch have prompted the authority to allow traffic movement on the service road as an interim arrangement.“Most of the structures along the corridor are complete, but because of the pending stretch, we will first open the service road. We are hopeful of starting traffic movement on the service road within seven to 10 days,” an NHAI official said.Once fully operational, the corridor is expected to improve connectivity between Gurgaon, southern Haryana and Rajasthan, while easing pressure on the congested Delhi-Jaipur highway. It will also offer a faster alternative for industrial hubs in Manesar, Bilaspur and Dharuhera, facilitating smoother movement for both commuters and freight traffic.The Rs 900 crore project’s foundation was laid in July 2020 by Union minister for road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari. Estimated at Rs 900 crore, the project was originally due for completion in Dec 2022, but construction began only in Nov 2021, with a revised 2-year deadline. However, utility shifting issues and delays in approvals resulted in repeated extensions of project deadlines.The work stalled in Sept 2022 after the National Green Tribunal intervened, following an appeal by environmentalists over a forest clearance issue. The petitioners raised concerns about the compensatory afforestation plan, arguing that planting trees 300 kilometres away in Panchkula would not restore the green cover lost within the highway’s construction area.In April 2024, the Supreme Court allowed NHAI to resume work on the project but mandated that compensatory afforestation be conducted within the city to offset its environmental impact.
