New Delhi: For a long time, the public was waiting for the Delhi-Meerut Express to open, which is now over. Now you can reach Meerut from Delhi in just 45 minutes. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has made preparations to open it to the public. NHAI officials said that on 1 April, the 82-km-long Delhi-Meerut Expressway (DME) will be opened to the public. This can reduce the travel time from two hours to about 50 minutes in Phase 2 and 4. Till a week after the inauguration, the authority Road Transport and Highways Ministry has not approved the collection of tolls.
After the opening of the Delhi-Meerut Expressway, thousands of passengers will get convenience in traveling daily. The distance between Delhi and Meerut will be fixed in just 45 minutes, then the journey time between Ghaziabad and Meerut will be just 30 minutes. At present, passengers traveling on this expressway will not have to pay toll tax.
The 14-km Phase 1 (Akshardham-UP Gate) and 22-km Phase 3 (Dasna-Hapur) of Delhi-Meerut Expressway are already operational. 19 km Phase 2 connects UP Gate and Dasna while 32 km Phase 4 connects Dasna and Meerut.
NHAI Project Director Mudit Garg said, “For a more efficient tolling system, we are currently testing to add Automatic Number Plate Reader (ANPR) to the Fastag system.” ANPR is a system of high definition, High speed cameras have been installed throughout the DME which were meant to catch traffic violations. Fastag is a system that will enable digital transactions of tolls. In February, the central government has mandated Fastag on all vehicles.
Passengers will have to take into account various speed limits as decided by the local authorities. In Phase I, which is in Delhi, the Phase 1 limit is 70 km per hour, while in the rest of the range it is 100 km per hour, which are in Uttar Pradesh.
Some work left
Phase 4 is an access-controlled six-lane expressway and work is completed on all 55 underpasses along its length. In Phase 2, work on 17 of the 18 underpasses has been completed. NHAI officials said that the remaining underpasses near ABES College will be opened for a week. NHAI has installed around 5,000 streetlights in all four phases.
DME will provide 14-lane connectivity under phases 1 and 2 while the six-lane expressway will start from Dasna under 4. phase. The 14 lanes will consist of three expressway lanes on each side, while the four outer lanes will be highway lanes on each side.
NHAI has installed 15 CCTV cameras from Nizamuddin to UP Gate in the first phase. In the second phase from UP Gate to Dasna, 30 cameras will be installed. 35 CCTV cameras are being installed in part of the fourth phase from Dasna to Meerut.
The installation of signboards in most part of Delhi-Meerut Express has been completed. Also the panic button has been installed. So if anyone needs any kind of expressway then help can be sought using it.
Let us tell you that in the ‘Pragati’ meeting organized by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the deadline was fixed till 31 March.