On August 17, 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated two landmark highway projects in Delhi worth nearly Rs 11,000 crore—the Delhi section of the Dwarka Expressway and the Urban Extension Road-II (UER-II). These projects are set to significantly decongest Delhi-NCR’s traffic, enhance connectivity, and spur economic growth by facilitating smoother travel between Delhi, neighboring Haryana towns, and key infrastructure hubs like the IGI Airport.
Key Highlights of the UER-II Expressway Inauguration
The Urban Extension Road-II (UER-II) stretch from Alipur to Dichaon Kalan, built at a cost of around Rs 5,580 crore, includes new link roads to Bahadurgarh and Sonipat.
UER-II is designed to ease traffic congestion on Delhi’s Inner and Outer Ring Roads and at critical choke points such as Mukarba Chowk, Dhaula Kuan, and National Highway 9.
The project promotes industrial connectivity and speeds up the movement of goods within the National Capital Region (NCR).
The expressway provides alternative routes and bypasses crowded city roads, saving significant travel time for commuters and freight operators.
The Delhi stretch of the Dwarka Expressway, 10.1 km long and costing approximately Rs 5,360 crore, was inaugurated simultaneously.
This section connects Shiv Murti intersection to the Road Under Bridge at Dwarka Sector-21 and extends to the Delhi-Haryana border, linking directly to UER-II.
Together with the 19 km Haryana section inaugurated in March 2024, this forms a seamless route that reduces traffic on the National Highway 48 and other major arteries.
Traffic Relief and Commuter Benefits
These roads are expected to reduce travel times substantially from Sonipat, Rohtak, Bahadurgarh, and Gurugram to the IGI Airport and other parts of Delhi.
By diverting heavy vehicles to these expressways, the projects will cut the traffic load on congested city roads, easing vehicular movement and lowering pollution levels.
The expressways will facilitate smoother daily commutes for millions of Delhi-NCR residents, enhancing workplace connectivity and quality of life.
Economic and Industrial Impacts
Improved goods movement across NCR will benefit industries and logistics companies, reducing transportation costs and improving supply chain efficiency.
The expressways support Delhi’s vision of becoming a model growth center aligned with a rapidly developing India.
The use of millions of tons of repurposed waste materials in the construction of UER-II contributes to sustainable infrastructure development, simultaneously addressing Delhi’s waste management crisis.
The infrastructure development is expected to boost real estate, commercial activity, and warehousing markets around the expressway corridors.
Government Vision and Commitment
Prime Minister Modi emphasized that these projects exemplify his vision for world-class infrastructure promoting seamless mobility and ease of living for Indian citizens.
The projects highlight the government’s commitment to removing urban difficulties and making Delhi a growth model reflecting India’s progressive spirit.
Modi’s visit to the Mundka-Bakkarwala toll plaza and interaction with laborers underline the government’s focus on inclusive development.
Environmental Innovation
UER-II construction employed scientific methods recycling large quantities of garbage, mitigating environmental hazards associated with landfill accumulation.
This “waste-to-resource” approach showcases innovation within infrastructure projects, yielding both ecological and societal benefits.
Future Prospects
With the development of the Peripheral Expressway and expressways like UER-II, Delhi’s transport network is evolving into a more efficient, integrated system.
The expressways set the stage for further investments and development in NCR, promoting balanced urban growth and reduced traffic bottlenecks.
Conclusion
The inauguration of the Urban Extension Road-II and Delhi section of the Dwarka Expressway marks a transformative step towards decongesting Delhi’s traffic snarls, enhancing connectivity, and boosting regional economies. These highways not only promise faster, safer commutes but also demonstrate India’s commitment to sustainable and innovative urban infrastructure development—a leap forward in creating a world-class capital city.
Sources: Press Information Bureau, Business Standard, The Week, Hindustan Times
