Nearly a year after the Delhi government announced plans to hand over the widening of the crucial Mandi Road in Chattarpur to the NHAI, work on the project has yet to begin, officials said on Saturday.
The 8.8-kilometre stretch, which connects Mehrauli in south Delhi to Faridabad in Haryana, remains heavily congested during peak hours, serving as a key link for commuters travelling between Gurugram and the Chattarpur area.
In April 2025, Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh announced that the project would be handed over to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and that the road would be declared a national highway. However, the proposal to facilitate the handover is still awaiting approval, delaying the commencement of on-ground work.
There was no response from the PWD minister on the matter.
“Given its role in facilitating freight movement to industrial zones and connecting to national highways, the project has broader national and regional significance beyond local urban transit,” an official said.
According to an initial project report, the existing road is narrow and flanked by farmhouses, residential properties and individual shops. The scale of land acquisition required prompted the Delhi government to propose transferring the project to NHAI, which is considered better equipped to handle such processes.
“We are trying to expedite the work on widening of Mandi road. There are some trees and other issues that are being worked out,” Gajainder Yadav, Chhatarpur MLA, said.
Mandi Road begins near the Chattarpur metro station on MG Road and extends to Faridabad Road, crossing into Haryana. Owing to its strategic importance and rising traffic demand, authorities have proposed that the stretch be declared a national highway and linked to NH-148A.
“In view of its strategic importance, existing and future traffic demand and its direct connectivity with NH-148A, Mandi Road of total length may be considered for declaration as a national highway,” the plan stated.
The road, however, continues to face heavy congestion during morning and evening rush hours, with delays in approvals and land acquisition keeping the long-pending widening project on hold.
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