Delhi-Katra Green Field Expressway, a part of the Bharatmala project, is currently under construction at a rapid pace. 75% of the work on Package 1 and Package 2, starting from the village of Nilothi in Bahadurgarh, has been completed. The plan is to open the expressway by March 2024, with vehicles expected to start using it within four months. The project is set to be completed in Jammu by March 2024 and in Katra by June 2025.
The expressway is said to have foreign-style amenities, including food outlets, vehicle maintenance facilities, petrol pumps, and rest areas equipped with CNG and EV (electric vehicle) charging facilities. Emergency services such as ambulances, fire brigades, trauma centers, and traffic police teams will be available on the expressway 24/7. Three such facilities will be established in Sonipat, near Rukhi, Nurankhera, and Chhavdi villages.
The project, which spans a total length of 670 kilometers, has a cost of 39,000 crores. Out of the 21 packages, five are being constructed in Haryana. The main expressway is 570 kilometers long, while the Greenfield Expressway from Nilothi to Gurudaspur will be 397.712 kilometers long, and the Brownfield Expressway from Gurudaspur to Katra will be 122.288 kilometers long. This expressway will also benefit pilgrims visiting the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine.
The benefits of the Delhi-Katra Green Field Expressway include a speed limit of 120 kilometers per hour, allowing travelers to reach Katra in just six hours. It will also reduce traffic congestion on NH-44 from Sonipat to Delhi. The project will provide new routes connecting Chandigarh, Punjab, and Jammu and Kashmir. Additionally, five points in Sonipat will have connectivity to the Green Field Expressway. Construction work on the Katra Expressway is progressing at a war footing, with flyovers being equipped with guardrails and 75% of the work already completed. Soon, vehicles will be running on the road.
भारत माला परियोजना के तहत दिल्ली-कटरा ग्रीन फील्ड एक्सप्रेसवे का निर्माण तेजी से हो रहा है। इस परियोजना के पैकेज वन और पैकेज टू का 75% काम पूरा हो चुका है और मार्च 2024 तक इसे खोलने की योजना है। इस एक्सप्रेसवे पर विदेशी शैली की विशेषताएं शामिल होंगी और यहां पर सुविधा केंद्र, आपातकालीन सहायता की टीमें और सुविधा केंद्र स्थापित किए जाएंगे। पांच पैकेजों का निर्माण हरियाणा में किया जा रहा है और पूरे परियोजना की लागत 39,000 करोड़ रुपये है। इस एक्सप्रेसवे के खुलने से दिल्ली से कटरा तक की यात्रा काफी आसान हो जाएगी और यहां से जम्मू-कश्मीर, चंडीगढ़ और पंजाब को नए रूट मिलेगा। इसके अलावा फ्लाईओवर पर गार्डर लगाने का काम भी शुरू हो गया है और यह एक्सप्रेसवे के निर्माण को लेकर उम्मीदें बढ़ा रहा हैं।