NEW DELHI: The expressway’s second big traffic hurdle has fallen in as many weeks.

The Haryana government and the National Highways Authority of India on Friday approved a three-level crossing at Hero Honda Chowk, paving the way for the corridor’s other big bottleneck to be resolved after bankers last week agreed to remove the toll plaza at Sirhaul.

The three-level crossing, which will see a flyover being constructed over the existing road and an underpass below the intersecting road, got in-principle approval from both sides and will be built with an approximate investment of Rs 150 crore.

After proposing and junking several plans to solve the perpetual logjam at this crossing in the past six-seven years, the highways ministry recently decided to build a flyover on the existing highway for smooth flow of traffic. “We have gone a step ahead to find a complete solution to the traffic problem. Once the three-level crossing is constructed, traffic can move seamlessly in all directions,” said NHAI chief general manager Dr B S Singla.

The project includes an eight-lane flyover on the main Delhi-Jaipur Road (NH-8) for traffic coming from both Delhi and Jaipur. Cars moving across the expressway, between Subhash Chowk and Old Gurgaon, can take the four-lane divided underpass. Traffic taking a right turn at the crossing will use the existing road.

Both the highways ministry and the Haryana government have agreed to implement the project with complete government funding. The final project cost is yet to be worked out. While the NHAI will foot 75% of the bill, the remaining 25% will come from Haryana. The state government will also provide the required land for construction.

It was also decided on Friday that Haryana government will clear all encroachments so that work can start without any hassle. The meeting was attended by top officials from NHAI, Haryana Urban Development Authority, Public Works Department and authorities from Gurgaon besides the city police commissioner.

“Once the estimate is worked out we will get the approval from highways ministry and tendering will start,” said a source.

In October, highways minister Oscar Fernandes had said that the flyover will be operational in the next 18-20 months.

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