NEW DELHI: The Central Empowered Committee (CEC) has approved tree-related clearances for the Barapullah Phase-III elevated corridor, paving the way for completion of the project connecting Mayur Vihar Phase-I and AIIMS, according to officials on Monday.
PWD Minister Parvesh Verma welcomed the decision, saying the revival will unlock “smoother, safer and greener” links across East and Central Delhi. Verma said that the corridor—conceived as a continuation of Phases I and II to link Sarai Kale Khan with Mayur Vihar—will be completed within a year. Officials said that more than 90% of the construction is complete.
The 3.5-km, pier-supported elevated corridor includes an additional bridge to minimise pier count in the Yamuna’s active flow zone, three lanes each way, eight loops, and dedicated cycle tracks and footpaths. Authorities say it will decongest NH-24, the DND Flyway, and the Ring Road, and improve access to a multi-modal transit hub.
Environmental safeguards formed part of the CEC clearance. In line with directives, the PWD and the forest department conducted a joint resurvey, recording tree geo-locations, species, and girth, and re-engineered pier placements to retain trees through selective transplantation. Officials estimate that around 325 trees will need to be felled; PWD says marking, pruning, and transplantation will proceed under forest department supervision.
The project, approved in 2014 with construction starting in 2015, has suffered repeated delays and cost escalations since then. Initial cost estimates, reported at around Rs 964 crore to Rs 1,260.63 crore, have been overtaken over the years. As of early this year, nearly Rs 1,238.68 crore has already been spent, and the current projected cost is approximately Rs 1,330 crore.