Haryana: PM Modi set to inaugurate Western Peripheral Expressway

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to inaugurate the Kundli-Manesar-Palway (KMP) Expressway, also known as Western Peripheral Expressway, today.

The Delhi Western Peripheral Expressway project was proposed back in 2003 with an initial total cost of Rs 1,915 crore. The project was awarded to KMP Expressways Ltd., a special purpose vehicle of DS Constructions, Madhucon Projects and Apollo Enterprises in 2005.

The Western Peripheral Expressway was originally expected to complete in 2009. However, it has taken 15 years to complete this project.

After missing multiple deadlines, in June 2012, during a multi-party meeting between the Haryana government, Delhi government and the developer, a new deadline of May 2013 was decided. But due to a delay in construction, the HSIIDC decided to penalise the company in April 2012 following which the matter went to the courts. Eventually, the project was stalled.

Later on, the lenders led by IDBI Bank served the concessionaire KMP Expressways with a substitution notice due to its continued defaults in the performance of its financial and other obligations. Subsequently, then Haryana government, which had also awarded the contract, decided to terminate it and pay KMP Expressways and lenders Rs 1,300 crore as the termination payment.

In 2014, the project was revived. It was also decided to upgrade the expressway to a six-lane expressway. Following that on April 5, 2016, the 53-km stretch between Manesar and Palwal was opened for the public use.

With a design speed of 120 kmph for light vehicles and 100 kmph for heavy ones, the Western Peripheral Expressway is finally opening today.

It is to be noted that the KMP expressway links to NH-1 (Delhi to Panipat), NH-8 (Jaipur-Gurgaon-Delhi Road), NH 10 (Hisar Rohtak-Delhi Road).

Importantly, the first ring road was completed and opened for traffic in 1956. While the second one was fully operated in 1970. The third ring road called the Eastern Peripheral Expressway also known as EPE was inaugurated earlier this year in May.

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