Delhi's ambitious plan to rebuild 400 km of roads by March 2026 may soon bring daytime construction to already packed corridors, with the government formally seeking a green light from the traffic police. If cleared, commuters could see more barricades and slower stretches during peak hours, but officials insist the short-term pain is unavoidable.
According to senior PWD officials, winter has become the biggest spoiler. Freshly laid roads need a surface temperature above 15°C, a threshold Delhi won't touch until mid-February, making night-time construction "next to impossible."
"The choice is between a few months of controlled inconvenience and years of dust, potholes, and unsafe roads," a senior PWD official told NDTV, arguing that delaying the work now would push the entire project off track.
'World-Class Roads Need Urgency': Minister
PWD Minister Parvesh Verma defended the government's push, saying delays could also cause funding to lapse. "Delhi deserves world-class roads built with honesty and urgency," he said.
To prevent long, dug-up stretches, a familiar nightmare for Delhiites, Verma said contractors will be put on "strict deadlines." He also promised extra manpower with support from the traffic police to keep vehicles moving on affected roads.
Massive Overhaul: 402 Km, Dozens Of Corridors
The project, one of the capital's largest in recent years, spans 402 km, 300.917 km under the Central Road Fund (CRF) and 100.944 km under state funding.
The upgrades go beyond resurfacing. The PWD blueprint includes:
- Better drainage
- Safer and continuous footpaths
- Redesigned junctions
- Integrated mobility improvements
Officials say these changes will reduce waterlogging, improve pedestrian safety and cut travel time over the long term.
Which Roads Will Be Hit?
Big-ticket corridors under the CRF plan include:
- Eastern Approach Road, Wazirabad
- Road No. 68, North-East Delhi
- Stretches of Old GT Road
- Loni Border Corridor
- Narela-Alipur Road
- Bhajanpura-Yamuna Vihar main road
- Seelampur-Shastri Park stretch
- Karawal Nagar corridor
"These are key freight and commuter routes. Their condition affects everyone from daily office-goers to goods transporters," an official said.
Neighbourhood roads set for State-funded upgrades include:
- Press Enclave Road
- Khel Gaon Marg
- Surajkund Road
- Bipin Chandra Pal Marg-CR Park stretch
- Sheikh Sarai-Panchsheel Road
- Mandir Marg-Karol Bagh connector
- New Friends Colony link road
- Rajokri-NH48 service lane leading to the airport and Gurgaon
PWD Sets Up Real-Time Monitoring
To prevent slippages, the PWD has set up real-time monitoring teams and a zonal tracking system. "Quality control is non-negotiable," Verma said, adding that accountability will be fixed "at every level."
Some corridors have already seen preliminary work. But the citywide rollout now hinges on one decision: Whether the traffic police will allow construction during the day.
If approved, officials say residents can expect visible progress within weeks, but also inevitable delays on major routes.
