Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate-a 15year old project-Western Peripheral Expressway in Haryana’s district of Gurugram on Monday. The project which was proposed 15 years back in 2003 has missed many deadlines. The project was proposed with an initial budget of 1,915 crores was expected to be completed in 2013.
The project was given to Kundli-Manesar-Palwal (KMP) Expressways Ltd., a special purpose vehicle of DS Constructions, Madhucon Projects and Apollo Enterprises in 2005. After missing many deadlines, in June 2012, during a multi-party meeting between the Haryana government, Delhi government and the developer, a new deadline of May 2013 was decided.
But due to a delay in construction, the HSIIDC decided to penalize the construction companies in April 2012 following which the whole matter went to the courts, which led to a halt in the construction. Later, the lenders led by IDBI bank served the concessionaire KMP Expressways with a substitution notice for its continued defaults in the performance of its financial and other obligations. As a result of this, the then Congress government in Haryana decided to terminate the contract and pay the KMP Expressways and the lenders a lump sum amount of Rs 1,300 crore as a termination payment.
However, the project was revived in 2014 and it was also decided that the expressway will be upgraded to six-lanes and for the first time, on April 5, 2016, the 53-km stretch between Manesar and Palwal was opened for public use.
With a design speed of 120kmph for light vehicles and 100 kmph for Heavy, the much awaited western peripheral will be open on Nov 19, 2018.
With the inauguration of this KMP Expressway, vehicles traveling from other states don’t have to enter the national capital while going Haryana.
PM Modi will also inaugurate the Ballabgarh-Mujeshar metro line through a Video Conferencing from Gurugram’s Sultanpur. PM Modi will also address a rally in Sultanpur village of Gurugram District of Haryana.