Travel between west and south Delhi is set to become significantly faster after the Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the construction of a six-lane road tunnel connecting the Dwarka Expressway (NH-248BB) with Nelson Mandela Marg in Vasant Kunj.
The project, to be developed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), will comprise an 8.1-km corridor at an estimated cost of Rs 6,969.67 crore. It will be executed under the Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM) as part of the National Highways (Original) scheme and is expected to be completed within five years.
Twin-Tube Tunnel Through Southern Ridge
A key feature of the project is a 3.14-km twin-tube tunnel passing beneath the Rangpuri (Southern Delhi) Ridge.
The tunnel will be constructed using Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) technology, allowing
work to be carried out underground with minimal disturbance to the ecologically sensitive Ridge area. Around 1.98 km of the tunnel will pass beneath the forest, helping preserve the landscape while enhancing connectivity.
The tunnel will begin at the Shiv Murti Interchange and terminate near the junction of Nelson Mandela Marg and Mahipalpur-Chhatarpur Road.
#WATCH | Delhi: At the Union cabinet briefing, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw says, “The first project is the 2-lane Dwarka tunnel. This will prove to be a huge boon for Delhi. This 8-kms tunnel addresses a long-standing demand… As per the detailed map: starting from the Shiv… pic.twitter.com/CWtmuQ8flY
— ANI (@ANI) July 1, 2026
Additional Roads And Flyovers
To improve traffic flow around the tunnel’s exit, the project also includes: A 1.8-km elevated road along Nelson Mandela Marg. An additional flyover for traffic travelling from Chhatarpur towards Mahipalpur. An elevated U-turn to facilitate right-turn movements and reduce congestion at the intersection.
The NHAI is also planning an elevated corridor between AIIMS and Mahipalpur, which will connect the new tunnel to the Barapullah Elevated Road.
Once completed, the link is expected to provide seamless connectivity between West Delhi, South Delhi, East Delhi, Ghaziabad and Noida, creating a continuous high-speed road network across the National Capital Region.
Who Will Benefit?
The project will provide a high-speed, signal-free link between Dwarka Expressway, Urban Extension Road-II (UER-II) and Vasant Kunj, substantially reducing travel time between west and south Delhi.
It would also make travel to Gurugram, Dwarka and Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport from south and east Delhi faster.
The corridor is designed to ease traffic congestion on existing arterial roads while improving access to key residential, commercial and airport zones.
Employment Boost
The project is expected to generate substantial employment during construction.
According to government estimates, every lane-kilometre of a National Highway creates an average of 264 person-days of direct employment and 55 person-days of indirect employment.
Based on these estimates, the project is expected to generate approximately 7.54 lakh person-days of direct employment and 9.80 lakh person-days of indirect employment.
Officials also expect the improved connectivity to spur economic activity and create additional long-term employment opportunities in areas along the corridor.
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