14km DME extn to cut Delhi-Prayagraj travel time to 7 hrs

Ghaziabad: A 14km extension of the Delhi-Meerut Expressway (DME) will bring down the travel time between Delhi and Prayagraj to just seven hours.
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is building the connector between DME and the Ganga Expressway, which is expected to become operational this year.
“The 14km link is actually an extension of the DME project. It’s phase 5. The connector starts from Zainuddinpur village near Modinagar, which falls along the Dasna-Meerut section of the DME, and will continue till Jahidpur in Meerut, which is along NH-235 on the Meerut-Hapur Road. From there, a 4km existing road is being refurbished, which will eventually be connected to the Ganga Expressway,” said an NHAI official.
Although the deadline for the connector was April 2024, the work had to be stalled several times for various reasons, including the farm protests.
“But now, the work is going on at a steady pace. We hope that by the time the Ganga Expressway becomes operational, the connector loop will also be ready,” the official added.
The estimated cost of the project is Rs 524 crore. The four-lane link, when ready, will provide seamless connectivity to eastern UP districts via the Ganga Expressway, which will pass through 12 districts, including Hapur, Bulandshahr, Amroha, Sambhal, Badaun, Shahjahanpur, Hardoi, Unnao, Raibareli, Pratapgarh, and Prayagraj.
The Expressways Industrial Authority (UPEIDA) has asked officials to ensure that all essential structures on the high-speed Ganga Expressway are ready before the Dec 31 deadline to ensure seamless commute for devotees headed for the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj in Jan next year.
The expressway is being constructed at a budget of Rs 36,230 crore.