PM Modi to inaugurate India's first 135-km-long green highway this month, says Gadkari

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate India’s first smart and green highway, the Eastern Peripheral Expressway (EPE), informed Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday.

The EPE is 135-km-six-lane will decongest the national capital along with the first phase of Delhi-Meerut Expressway, built at a cost of nearly Rs 11,000 crore. The build the expressway five lakh tonne of cement and one lakh tonne of steel has been used.

The EPE is equipped with video incident detection system (VIDS), smart and intelligent highway traffic management system (HTMS) and the entire highway would be lit with solar lights.

The expressway is also equipped with a closed tolling system in which the collection will be made only on the distances travelled.

"The Eastern Peripheral Expressway will be inaugurated by Prime Minister this month and will set a benchmark in highway construction by being environment-friendly with world-class safety features and smart/interactive infrastructure," Road Transport, Highways, Shipping, Water Resources and Ganga Rejuvenation Minister Gadkari told reporters here.

The foundation stone for the greenfield project stone was laid by Modi on November 5, 2015.

According to the union minister, the EPE is estimated to diver 2 lakh vehicles passing through the national capital daily to this bypass and hence help in bringing down pollution.

Gadkari also informed th media that the cost of construction for the project was 4,420 crore alone. “The EPE is a fully access controlled six-lane expressway. The entry and exit will be through designated interchanges only and there will be closed tolling system. The toll will be collected only on the distances travelled,” Gadkari added.

He further added that the toll plazas installed at the EPE will be equipped with Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) system for faster toll collection.

Toll plazas will be equipped with Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) system for faster toll collection and uninterrupted travel experience," he said.

The road transport minister also claimed that the project is being completed in a record time of around 500 days against a target of 910 days.

"This is the first expressway in the country with solar power for lighting on the entire expressway. There are 8 solar power plants on this expressway having a capacity of 4000-kilo watt (4 MW). For plantation, drip irrigation has been used in the central median as well as for avenue plantation," Gadkari said.

Apart from Highway Traffic Management System (HTMS) that includes  Variable Message Signs (VMS) CCTV, Video Incident Detection System (VIDS), Warning Devices, Over Speed Checking System, Weigh-in-Motion, Pavement Management Systems and Fiber Optic Network, it will have real time incident management.

The Union Minister further added that wayside amenities including, petrol pumps, motels, rest areas, restaurants, shops and repair services are being developed at six locations.

“A total of about 2.5 lakh trees will be planted as green belt,” Gadkari added.

The minister also added that the EPE has a cycle track of 2.5 metre and 1.5 metre footpath on both sides.