Delhi–Meerut Expressway or National Expressway 3 is India's widest 96 km long controlled-access expressway, connecting Delhi with Meerut via Dasna in Ghaziabad in India. The 8 lanes old stretch of National Highway 9 (NH-9) up to Dasna is widened to 14 lanes (widest expressway in India). The fourth phase of the expressway is built on a new alignment from Dasna to Meerut – a six-lane stretch joining Meerut bypass. The stretch between Nizamuddin Bridge and Dasna is one of the most congested areas in the NCR. The total project cost is estimated to be between ₹8,000–10,000 crores.
An additional 14km Package 5 is currently under-construction from Zainuddinpur to Jahidpur.
History
A proposal for a Ghaziabad to Meerut expressway was mentioned in the Lok Sabha by the then Minister of State for Urban Affairs and Employment in March 1999. The proposal again found mention in a February 2000 seminar speech by the then Union Urban Development Minister.
An expressway from Delhi to Meerut via Ghaziabad was then proposed under the NCR Transport Plan 2021, which was notified in September 2005. The Delhi to Ghaziabad section was to be taken up in 2001–11 with the Ghaziabad to Meerut scheduled 2011–21. In February 2006, the committee on infrastructure gave approval for a feasibility study for the expressway. The decision to build the expressway was announced in the 2006 budget speech by then Finance Minister P. Chidambaram. Construction of 1,000 km of expressways under National Highway Development Program (NHDP) Phase-VI was approved in November 2006. In December 2006, it was reported that 600 km of expressways would be chosen from among the proposed expressways including the Delhi-Meerut expressway for the first stage of NHDP Phase-VI on the basis of a prioritization study being taken up by the NHAI.
In April 2008, it was reported that proposals had been invited from consultants for deciding the alignment of the expressway. In November 2009, it was reported that the alignment study had been completed and a consultant had been appointed for the feasibility study for the project, with the expected completion of the study by May 2010. In August 2011, it was reported that the expressway was targeted for completion by December 2015. In October 2011, it was reported that the feasibility report was under progress and the project was to be taken up under NHDP Phase-VI. The alignment proposed was to be along NH-24 from Nizammuddin to Dasna and then to Meerut. In December 2011, the December 2015 targeted completion date was reaffirmed and the feasibility report submitted by the appointed consultant was said to be under study.
In May 2012, it was reported that the original target of awarding concession by 2009–10 was not completed due to various problems regarding alignment finalisation, and the consequent delay in feasibility reports. In July 2013, the Steering Group appointed by the Prime Minister to accelerate Infrastructure Investment decided on 15 March 2014 as the last date for awarding of contract for the expressway.
In August 2013, it was reported that the expressway was targeted for the contemporary financial year. In November 2013, it was reported that the stretch from Delhi up to UP Gate was to be converted from six lanes to fourteen lanes with six lanes grade-separated exclusively for traffic moving towards Meerut. The stretch from UP Gate to Dasna was to be eight laned and a new six lane alignment was to come up from Dasna to Meerut bypass on National Highway – 58. The project cost, including land acquisition, was estimated at .
On 18 November 2013, it was confirmed that Centre, not the Uttar Pradesh State Government, would build the much delayed Delhi–Meerut Expressway starting from Nizamuddin Bridge on Ring Road. Once complete, commuters will be able to reach Meerut in 45 to 60 minutes and cut travel time to Haridwar and Dehradun by almost an hour.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) under the government of India Chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the Delhi–Meerut Expressway (4 laning) with construction of connected roads to be undertaken in July 2014. CCEA under PM Modi again approved the widening of these roads 8/6 laning in May 2016. There will be six- to eight-laning of NH 24 (Hapur bypass), six laning of NH 58 (Delhi-UP border), six-laning of NH 235 (Delhi-UP). The total cost is about . The deadline set for the project is three years.
Construction of the Nizamuddin to Dasna road was scheduled to begin on 31 December 2015.
Project
National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) divided the 96 km stretch starting from Nizamuddin bridge in the outer ring road in New Delhi to Meerut bypass into four packages: