GHAZIABAD: The second phase of the NH-24 widening project, which stretches from UP Gate till Dasna in Ghaziabad, has met with two hurdles that are likely to delay its completion. The targeted date of completion of the second phase of the project, closely monitored by Prime Minister Narendra Modi , is March 2019.According to National Highways Authority of India ( NHAI ), the agency executing the project, hurdles are due to the delay in inter-departmental clearance.The first problem encountered is the replacement of Ganga Jal pipelines along the highway that has to be funded and undertaken by Noida Authority and UP Housing and Development Board.Around 13.5 km of cement-concrete pipelines transporting Ganga water from Masuri-Dasna to Siddharth Vihar treatment plant is sought to be replaced with steel pipelines having a diametre of 1.5 metre.“Readymade steel pipes have to be replaced in order to carry out widening work. Setting of cement-concrete pipes is bound to take time. The project to replace the pipeline will be jointly taken up by Noida Authority and UP Housing and Development Board,” NHAI project director RP Singh told TOI on Wednesday.According to officials, top-level meetings between Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari and deputy chief minister of UP, Keshav Prasad Maurya, have already been held on this issue.The NHAI has faced yet another hurdle in obtaining a block period from the Railways for constructing a new overbridge at Lal Quan.The NHAI will dismantle the old four-lane railway overbridge at Lal Quan to make way for a similar 14-lane structure once the Railways provide the window where traffic movement is nil.“We have already had several meetings with the divisional railway manager of Delhi zone for procuring a blockage. A site visit has been conducted by senior officials of the Indian Railways . The challenge will be to dismantle the old structure above the busy Delhi-Howrah line for which at least two hours of blockage periods are needed for few days,” said Singh.Modi had inaugurated the first phase of the highway widening project from Sarai Kale Khan to UP Gate last month. The second phase is scheduled to be completed by March next year ahead of the general elections in the country.

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