Chandigarh gets closer to Delhi

With the opening of the 3.4km elevated corridor on NH 1, travellers will be able to avoid the notorious traffic snarls at Panipat — thus cutting down travel time to Chandigarh by at least 40 minutes. The flyover, the longest in the country’s NH network, forms part of a 10km toll road developed as an access-controlled highway at Panipat. The six-lane flyover will bypass six major crossings in Panipat city. And, it’s just one of the upgrades proposed on the route. By the year-end, travellers can expect the entire 96km stretch of NH 1 between Delhi and Panipat to be completely six-laned, NHAI chairman N Gokulram said. However, the comfort comes at a cost — Rs 20 per oneway trip will be charged as toll tax from private vehicles for the 10km stretch at Panipat. For local cars, the charge will be Rs 5; and for local commercial vehicles, Rs 10. Heavy vehicles will have to pay more. The constructing agency, L&T Panipat Elevated Corridor Pvt Ltd, has built a 20-lane plaza to collect the tax.The 10km express corridor has been built at a cost of Rs 420 crore. The project was scheduled to be completed by January 2009. But the corridor, constructed on BOT (build, operate, transfer) basis, has been completed six months ahead of schedule. According to estimates, about 60,000 passenger car units use the 10km stretch every day, and half of these will take the elevated corridor. ‘‘The toll amount has been fixed considering the investment involved in the project. The concession period is 20 years,’’ said an NHAI official. ZIP, ZAP, ZOOM The longest flyover on an Indian highway opens today at Panipat. It’ll bypass 6 major crossing in the city The flyover is part of a 10km toll highway on which private vehicles will have to pay Rs 20 By year-end, the 96km stretch between Delhi and Panipat will be entirely six-laned.