Haryana has approved a 24-kilometre, four-lane bypass between Palwal and Sohna, a road project expected to improve connectivity for commuters travelling towards Gurugram and reduce pressure on existing routes in the southern National Capital Region. The approval was given by Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini at a meeting held in Chandigarh, according to a report by Live Hindustan – NCR.
The proposed bypass will be developed by the Public Works Department. The existing Palwal-Sohna route is a two-lane road that carries large volumes of daily traffic, including people travelling to Gurugram for work. The report said congestion is common during the morning and evening peaks, while heavy vehicles add to the pressure on the route. Overtaking on the narrow road also creates a risk of accidents, it said.
The project follows repeated demands from people living in areas around the route for the road to be widened. The Public Works Department has started preparations for the project. As an initial step, the department has begun the process of stopping registrations of land falling along the proposed alignment. Land acquisition will be taken up after this process, and construction is expected to begin once the acquisition is completed.
The bypass is planned to provide a four-lane connection from Palwal to Sohna and onward towards Gurugram. The project will extend an existing improvement in access to Sohna. A four-lane elevated road is already operational between Subhash Chowk and Sohna Chowk in Gurugram, and the proposed Palwal-Sohna road is intended to strengthen the remaining connection between Sohna and Palwal.
The road is also expected to improve access to industrial areas in and around the corridor. The report referred to the industrial area at Dharuhera, located a few kilometres from Sohna Chowk, as well as the developing IMT area in Nuh, around five kilometres away. It said the improved road connection could support movement between these areas and the wider NCR, although the project’s final alignment, land requirement, cost and completion schedule were not specified in the report.
The bypass is intended to allow some long-distance traffic to avoid passing through built-up areas. This could reduce the volume of through traffic on roads within towns and ease pressure on markets and populated stretches. The report also identified the potential for roadside activity, including fuel stations, hotels, warehouses, transport services and other businesses, once the connection is developed.
The project forms part of the state government’s wider emphasis on ring roads around cities with populations of 100,000 or more. Such roads are intended to divert external and heavy traffic away from central areas. For the Palwal-Sohna proposal, the next stated steps are completion of the land-related process, acquisition of the required parcels and subsequent commencement of construction by the Public Works Department.
