Jaipur Infrastructure News: A significant administrative reshuffling is now possible regarding the Northern Ring Road, a crucial project for solving the city’s traffic issues, which has been stalled for years.
Amidst sluggish progress and continuous delays, the Jaipur Development Authority (JDA) has offered to take over this project from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and complete it itself. For this, JDA has sent a formal proposal to the state government, highlighting its preparations and capabilities.
According to officials, the Urban Development and Housing (UDH) department will now seek approval from the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways so that this project can be completed by JDA instead of NHAI. If approval is received from the Centre, this project could be taken away from NHAI. If JDA is given the responsibility, the Northern Ring Road project is expected to gain momentum.
Project Length Proposed at Approximately 100 Kilometres
The length of this project, with an estimated cost of around ₹3,000 crore, is proposed to be approximately 100 kilometres. It is to be constructed in two phases. One phase of 45 km is proposed from Agra Road to C-Zone Bypass, and another phase of 52 km is proposed from the bypass to Ajmer Road.
JDA’s Argument
Even a year after its announcement, the project has not seen the expected pace, whereas the construction of the Northern Ring Road has become essential given the increasing traffic pressure and pollution in the city. Currently, heavy vehicles pass through the city between Ajmer Road, Delhi Road, and Agra Road, leading to traffic congestion. According to sources, a suggestion has also been made to complete this project on the ground through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. In this, a private company will bear the construction cost, and JDA will be responsible for providing the land. Regular income from tolls is also anticipated in the future.
Land Acquisition Process Underway
It is noteworthy that on December 10, 2024, during the Rising Rajasthan Summit, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, had announced that the ministry would soon commence this project. Following this, NHAI issued a notification on November 6 last year to initiate the land acquisition process. NHAI is still engaged in the land acquisition process for the Northern Ring Road, but the work has not yet gained momentum.
Ring Road to be 6-Lane
The 6-lane Northern Ring Road corridor will be built from Chhitroli on Ajmer Road to Bassi on Agra Road, which will reduce the heavy traffic within the city. The total cost of the project is ₹3,000 crore. This corridor will connect areas such as Delhi Road, Kalwar, Jobner, Rampura Dabri, Jalsu, and Chomu. Approximately 662 hectares of land need to be acquired for this project. More than 150 villages will be affected by this.
