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Get set to zip on NH-8 link

GURGAON: There is finally some good news for residents of Millennium City as the stretch from NH-8 to Sector 55/56 crossing will be thoroughly improved. According to authorities concerned, the 12km-long road which passes through Sikandarpur will be '' better than Delhi-Gurgaon expressway''.

The project with an estimated cost of Rs 347 crore is being undertaken jointly by Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) and DLF. A project report, prepared by a consultant, has been sent to Haryana government for approval. Both HUDA and DLF will equally bear the cost.

Said Pankaj Kumar, superintending engineer, HUDA, '' We are hopeful that the government will give its nod to the project by March 31 this year. It is going to be a boon for the city and will ease traffic of entire DLF area.''

Developers of the project said this would be a world-class road. '' The stretch is going to be even better than Delhi-Gurgaon expressway and ease the traffic on the stretch which has several bottlenecks at present,'' said B N Pandey, general manager, infrastructure, DLF.

The estimated time for completion of work is one and half years. The road which starts near DLF Gateway Tower will be 78 metres wide till Sikandarpur and 60 metres wide after Sikandarpur, till Sector 55/ 56 crossing. The entire stretch will also have 14-metre-wide service lanes on both sides to facilitate approaches to residential and commercial complexes.

Said Vijay Kumar Gupta, one of the consulting engineers of the project, '' The signal-free road will have two flyovers and one 1.5-km-long underpass. While one flyover will help traffic divert to M G Road, the other will help traffic zip through sectoral junctions.''

Being one of the roads leading to NH-8 Expressway, the area often sees a lot of traffic flow during peak hours - from 9 am to 10 am and 5 pm to 9 pm. Commuters are often greeted with chaotic lines of cars and badly choked roads.

Residents on the other hand are eagerly waiting for the project to be completed. Said Sumita Banerjee, a resident of DLF phase II, '' We will be really obliged if authorities and developers come forward to solve our woes."

10 Mar 2009, TOI