New Delhi: The Delhi cabinet on Monday approved two major infrastructure projects – the third phase of the Barapullah Elevated Corridor and a six-lane elevated corridor with underpasses on Mehrauli-Badarpur Road – aimed at easing traffic congestion and improving connectivity in the Capital, chief minister Rekha Gupta announced.
During a cabinet meeting chaired by Gupta, the government cleared a revised cost of ₹1,635.03 crore for the construction of the Barapullah Phase-III elevated road over the Barapullah drain, connecting Sarai Kale Khan to Mayur Vihar.
The project is an extension of the existing Barapullah elevated corridor and will provide direct, signal-free connectivity from Mayur Vihar in east Delhi to AIIMS in south Delhi.
The Barapullah phase-I, constructed in view of the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games, connects Sarai Kale Khan to JLN Stadium. The phase-II of the project, opened in 2018, extends this corridor from JLN Stadium to INA Market/Aurobindo Marg.
“The project will significantly reduce travel time for the lakhs of commuters who travel daily between East and South Delhi. It is also expected to ease congestion around Sarai Kale Khan, Ring Road, DND Flyway and NH-24. The government targets to complete the project by June 30, 2026,” Gupta said.
The CM noted that the government has taken serious note of unnecessary delays during the previous administration and has referred the matter to the Delhi government’s Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) to determine why the project was delayed and who was responsible.
The Delhi cabinet also approved a six-lane elevated road along with underpasses on MB Road, stretching from Saket’s G-Block in the city’s southwest to Pul Prahladpur in the southeast.
The project, estimated to cost ₹1,471.14 crore, will be executed by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) in two phases, according to the chief minister.
In the first phase, a double-decker integrated structure will be built between Saket G-Block and Sangam Vihar, including a six-lane elevated flyover, a six-lane underpass at Saket G-Block, an elevated ramp connecting the BRT corridor to the flyover, and a two-lane underpass linking MB Road with the BRT corridor. The second phase will involve construction of a 2.48-kilometre six-lane flyover from Maa Anandmayee Marg to Pul Prahladpur, built above the Metro tunnel.
“MB Road is among the busiest roads in South Delhi and has long suffered from heavy traffic congestion. Once the project is completed, traffic movement between Saket, Ambedkar Nagar, Khanpur, Sangam Vihar and Pul Prahladpur will become smoother. This is expected to significantly reduce congestion and cut travel time for commuters,” Gupta said on Monday.
The cabinet directed the Public Works Department (PWD) to finalise alignment for remaining stretches from Sangam Vihar to Maa Anandmayee Marg and from Pul Prahladpur to Badarpur at the earliest.
Also Read | 40 Barapullah drains to be trapped before monsoon to stop sewage, DJB tells NGT
Dates for Budget Session announced
The Delhi cabinet also decided to hold the budget session of Delhi Assembly from March 23 to March 25. According to the cabinet’s decision, the annual Economic Survey report will be tabled in the House on March 23. The following day, March 24, chief minister Gupta, who also holds the finance portfolio, will present her second budget.
On March 25 last year, the chief minister presented a ₹1 lakh crore budget for 2025–26 – 31% higher than the previous year. Among the allocations were ₹1,000 crore for improving Delhi-NCR transport links, ₹5,100 crore for a yet-to-be-launched women’s welfare scheme offering ₹2,500 per month to eligible beneficiaries, ₹2,144 crore for strengthening healthcare under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, and ₹1,000 crore for education.