The Eastern Peripheral Expressway (EPE) or Kundli–Ghaziabad–Palwal Expressway (KGP Expressway) is a 135 km (84 mi) long,[1][2] 6-lane wide expressway passing through the states of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh in India.[3][4] The expressway starts from the Western Peripheral Expressway at Kundli, Sonipat,[5] passing through Baghpat, Ghaziabad and Noida districts in UP and Faridabad district in Haryana before rejoining the Western Peripheral Expressway near Dholagarh, Palwal.[6][7] Eastern Peripheral Expressway along with Western Peripheral Expressway completes the largest Ring Road around Delhi.[8][9] The Eastern Peripheral Expressway was declared as National Expressway 2 (NE-2) in March 2006.[10]
The expressway has been constructed at a cost of ₹11,000 crore (equivalent to ₹150 billion or US$1.8 billion in 2023) to relieve traffic congestion in the Faridabad–Ghaziabad stretch and also to prevent pollution causing commercial vehicles from entering Delhi.[11][12]Government of India approved funding for the expressway in August 2015 on build-operate-transfer mode under NHDP Phase VI.[13]
The expressway crosses India’s widest 14-lane expressway, Delhi–Meerut Expressway, and provides connectivity to Meerut.
Eastern Peripheral Expressway is expected to divert more than 50,000 trucks away from Delhi and reduce air pollution in Delhi by 27%.[14][15] It was inaugurated on 27 May 2018 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Baghpat.[16] Eastern Peripheral Expressway will be connected with Yamuna Expressway via an interchange which is being built at Jaganpur Afzalpur village near Noida International University in Gautam Buddha Nagar district.[17]
Construction
The construction work of 135 km-long Eastern Peripheral Expressway was divided into 6 packages and was awarded to 5 different contractors. There are 406 structures including 8 railway-over-bridges (ROB), 4 major bridges, 46 minor bridges, 2 toll plaza, 3 flyovers, 7 interchanges, 70 vehicular-underpasses (VUP), 151 pedestrian underpasses, and 114 culverts. The total construction cost (excluding land acquisition cost) was ₹4,418 crores. The list of contractors is as follows:
Salient features
This expressway boasts of many features that are being implemented for the first time in India.[21]
The 135 km-long Expressway has a closed tolling system in which toll will be collected only on the distance travelled, and not on the entire length.
There is a provision for electronic collection of toll to ensure disruption-free movement of traffic.
Weigh-in motion sensors on all entry points which ensure that over-loaded vehicles are not allowed to enter the Expressway. The sensors are installed at all entry points with two gates—one leading to the Expressway and the other redirecting the vehicle if it is over-loaded.
Provision for parking of overloaded trucks where they can unload some of the cargo to satisfy the weight criteria and then move to the Expressway.
To check for speed, cameras have been put up every 2 kilometers. Over-speeding vehicles will be issued the challan at the toll plaza and the challan amount would be added to the total toll amount.
Facility for rainwater collection at every 500 meters has been made.
2.5 lakh trees have been planted along the highway along which will be watered through drip irrigation system
A cycle track of 2.5 metre has been developed on both sides of the expressway
Solar panels have been installed at various locations to provide power to illuminate the expressway. 8 solar power plants with a total capacity of 4,000 kilowatts (4 MW) have been made by the side of the expressway.
33% of the earthwork on the highway was done using fly ash from coal power plants thereby compounding its contribution to reducing pollution.
The expressway has 406 structures of which 4 are major bridges, 46 minor bridges, 3 flyovers, 7 interchanges, 221 underpasses and 8 Railway-over-bridges (ROB).
Status updates
PM Narendra Modi inspecting the model during the inauguration of the Expressway.
Sep 2015: Construction work of expressway divided by NHAI into 6 packages and awarded to 5 private firms.[22][23]
Feb 2016: Construction work started on expressway.[25]
Apr 2017: An estimated 60% of the work has been completed. It is expected to be completed by August 2017.[26]
Jul 2017: Around 70% of the work has been completed. It is expected to be completed by March 2018, 3 months ahead of the deadline of July 2018 set by the Supreme Court of India.[27]
Oct 2017: Few farmers agitating against land acquisition in Greater Noida area and who forced stop the road construction work were arrested in Sep 2017 and police force are deployed to give cover to road workers so that work can proceed.[28]
Dec 2017: 85% work completed. Land acquisition related issue is there at two places in Greater Noida impacting length of about 1 kilometer each, which delayed the project completion.[29]
Apr 2018: The expressway was scheduled to be inaugurated by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 29 April 2018 but was cancelled due to elections in Karnataka.[30]
^"3 projects in Haryana to be completed soon". The Hindu.
^Barman, Sourav Roy (28 May 2018). "First 'Smart' highway holds out hope for a congested, choking capital". Indian Express. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
^"Eastern Peripheral Expressway - Invitation of Proposals" (PDF). Retrieved 9 January 2016.
^"Reliance Infrastructure is sole bidder for Eastern Peripheral Expressway". The Economic Times. 26 December 2008. Retrieved 9 January 2016.
^"After 9-yr delay, KMP eway to be completed by August".
^"Chaos, theft, accident: All is not well with Delhi's 'smart' eastern expressway".
^"Eastern Peripheral Expressway: Some way to go for the brand new expressway". The Hindu.
^"PM Modi to inaugurate Western Peripheral Expressway: All you need to know". The Times of India.
^"Ring around Delhi: Final piece to fall in place as Western Peripheral Expressway opens today". The Times of India.
^Notification dated March 30, 2006
^"Eastern Peripheral Expressway, Built At Rs 11,000 Crore, To Be Inaugurated Tomorrow". NDTV. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
^Keelor, Vandana (3 June 2014). "New expressway to link Noida with Faridabad". Times of India. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
^"Government approves 17,000-crore highways upgradation projects". The Economic Times. Retrieved 9 January 2016.
^Bhattacharya, Somreet (29 May 2018). "Day 1 of Eastern Peripheral Expressway: 50,000 fewer trucks in Delhi". Times of India. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
^"Eastern Peripheral Expressway inaugurated by PM Modi is likely to decrease Delhi pollution by 27 per cent". India Today. 28 May 2018. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
^"Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Inaugurate Eastern Peripheral Expressway on May 27". News18. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
^"Interchange at Yamuna Expressway to connect Eastern Peripheral Expressway". The Times of India.
^"Sadbhav Engineering bags Rs 1,557 crore projects from NHAI". Business Standard. 10 August 2015.
^"NHAI sets October 2017 deadline for 22 km stretch of Eastern peripheral expressway". Hindustan Times. 23 February 2017.
^"Gayatri Projects Ltd bags Rs 675 crore expressway contract from NHAI". The Hindu Business Line. 14 August 2015.
^"India's Eastern Peripheral Expressway boasts of many firsts, to be ready within 500 days". The Economic Times. 23 April 2018. Archived from the original on 23 June 2018. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
^"5 firms bag Eastern peripheral expressway project". Business Standard. 21 September 2015.
^"Decongesting Delhi: Eastern Peripheral Expressway". Indian Express. 23 September 2015.
^"Expressway foundation laid by CM" (Press release).
^"Expressway construction begins". The Tribune.
^"Eastern Peripheral Expressway to be ready in August: Gadkari". The Hindu.
^"KGP e-way may miss August 15 deadline". The Tribune. 2 July 2017.
^"ईस्टर्न पेरिफेरल एक्सप्रेसवे का निर्माण बंद कराने का मामला" [Eastern Peripheral Expressway work shutdown case]. Navbharat Times. 9 October 2017. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
^"Ring bypasses may be ready in 3 months". Times of India.
^"MODI TO OPEN EASTERN PERIPHERAL EXPRESSWAY ON 29 APRIL". The Pioneer. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
^"Supreme Court directs NHAI to open Easter Peripheral Expressway before 31st May 2018". The Hindu. Retrieved 10 May 2018.
^"Gurgaon: Kundli-Manesar expressway inauguration today". Retrieved 5 November 2018.
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