New Six-Lane Greenfield Link To Improve Connectivity From Ambala-Chandigarh To Zirakpur
The Union Cabinet has approved a ₹14 639.5 crore investment for a six-lane greenfield highway spur linking the Ambala–Chandigarh section of NH 205A with the Zirakpur Bypass, reflecting a major strategic push to strengthen mobility infrastructure in northern India.
The project underscores the government’s intent to enhance regional connectivity, reduce travel times, and unlock economic potential across key urban and peri-urban corridors in the states of Haryana and Punjab. The greenfield alignment, to be constructed as a high-capacity six-lane corridor, will create a direct, access-controlled link that bypasses existing urban bottlenecks and improves intercity access between Ambala, Chandigarh and the fast-growing satellite node of Zirakpur. Authorities expect that by creating a more efficient express corridor, freight movement and passenger travel along this axis will be significantly smoother than on current congested stretches fed by older national and state roads. In approving the project, the Centre has emphasised its role in facilitating balanced regional growth.
Enhanced connectivity between the industrial city of Ambala, the union territory capital of Chandigarh, and the expanding urban periphery of Zirakpur — which straddles residential, commercial and logistics functions — is projected to stimulate fresh investment, support job creation and reduce logistics costs for businesses operating across the northern economic belt. The scale of the allocation — one of the largest for a spur highway project in recent years — reflects the complexity of the works, which will involve land acquisition, civil construction, drainage integration, location-specific environmental mitigation and urban bypass design. Strategic infrastructure planners note that a well-executed expressway can dramatically cut travel times while promoting safer road conditions, particularly by removing long-distance traffic from smaller towns and urban streets that are ill-equipped to handle high freight volumes.
For commuters, the six-lane corridor is expected to relieve pressure on existing interstate linkages, offering a reliable alternative during peak travel periods which traditionally see delays due to congestion, mix of slow-moving vehicles and frequent interactions with local traffic. Improved highway performance can also support tourism flows, daily business travel and inter-regional economic linkages, particularly for people commuting between Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh for employment and services. From an urban planning perspective, the project dovetails with a broader national infrastructure agenda aimed at creating an integrated freight and passenger network that complements existing expressways and arterial linkages. As India continues to urbanise rapidly, shifting travel demand toward high-capacity corridors that are resilient and well-engineered is central to reducing overall transport emissions, improving logistics reliability and accommodating long-term growth without overburdening inner-city roads.
Environmental considerations have been factored into project design, with authorities indicating plans for mitigative measures such as green buffers, animal crossings, noise control barriers and advanced stormwater management systems to reduce ecological disruption. Land acquisition will proceed with due compensation frameworks and adherence to statutory norms, minimising displacement risks and ensuring procedural transparency. However, infrastructure analysts caution that the success of mega projects like the NH 205A spur depends on coordinated execution, strong contract management and consistent project monitoring to avoid delays and cost overruns. Complementary investments in feeder roads, urban transit access and last-mile integration will be necessary to ensure that the benefits of high-capacity corridors are fully distributed across the broader mobility ecosystem.
As the project moves from approval to implementation, it also sets a precedent for how targeted infrastructure investment can bridge urban and regional nodes, laying the groundwork for more resilient and efficient transport patterns across interconnected states in northern India.
