more-in Already running eight years behind schedule, the 135-km Western Peripheral Expressway, also known as Kundli-Manesar-Palwal (KMP) Expressway, is set to miss yet another deadline of 400 days fixed by Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar at the Happening Haryana summit in March last year. Work on the 83-km-long Kundli-Manesar section of the expressway was allotted to M/s Essel Infra Projects Ltd., a company owned by media baron Subhash Chandra, and construction was initiated on August 24 last year. “As of now, only 22% of the work on the Kundli-Manesar section is complete and the 400-day deadline will end in November 2017. The deadline for completion of the project, as per work contract, is February 2019,” said Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (HSIIDC) spokesperson. The HSIIDC is the executing agency for the development of this project. Ring around NCR However, the spokesperson for M/s Essel Infra Projects Ltd. claimed that 35% of the work was complete and there was no delay as per the contract. Forming a ring around the National Capital Region, the eastern (connecting Kundli, Ghaziabad and Palwal) and the western (Kundli, Manesar and Palwal) peripheral expressways were conceived to ensure that non-destined commercial vehicles, which are estimated to be more than 80,000 now, don't enter the city limits of Delhi. The work on KMP Expressway project was originally allotted to concessionaire M/s KMP Expressway Limited on January 31, 2006. Supreme Court order The completion date was fixed as July 29, 2009, with a toll collection period of 20 years and nine months. However, the concessionaire failed to complete the work even till December 2014. In its order dated January 30, 2015, the Supreme Court directed the State government to award the contract to a new concessionaire. Subsequently, the concession agreement of M/s KMP Expressway Limited was terminated on March 19, 2015. Work on the Manesar-Palwal section was then allotted to M/s KCC Buildcon Private Limited-Dilip Buildcon Private Limited (JV) on item rate tender basis in March 2015 and the section was dedicated to the public by Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari in April last year. Similarly, work on the Kundli-Manesar section was allotted to M/s Essel Infra Projects Limited in July 2015 and the likely date of completion was fixed as August 2018, with six months period for obtaining financial closure. Boost to industry, realty After KMP Expressway becomes operational, vehicles coming from northern India on NH-1 and going towards Rajasthan and Gujarat can get on the expressway and take NH-8 at Manesar. Similarly, those driving towards central and southern India can take NH-2 at Palwal. The industrial and the real sectors, which have taken a major hit due to the delay, are expected to be revived with the road becoming operational. It will also improve connectivity to the domestic and international airports.

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