The Barapullah Phase 3 corridor linking Sarai Kale Khan with Mayur Vihar Phase 1 is being inaugurated in Delhi on Tuesday, creating a 10-kilometre signal-free route between Mayur Vihar, Noida and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences. The corridor is expected to reduce peak-hour travel time by 20 to 25 minutes and ease traffic pressure on some of the city’s busiest routes.
The elevated corridor is also expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by about two tonnes a day by cutting vehicle idling in congestion, according to the report. The estimated reduction is equivalent to the amount of carbon dioxide absorbed by about 30,000 trees. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to inaugurate the project.
The project was originally estimated to cost Rs 1,200 crore, but the final expenditure rose to Rs 1,635.03 crore after a delay of about nine years. Its foundation stone was laid in 2014 by then Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, and construction began in April 2015. The corridor was initially expected to be completed within 30 months, but work was completed in September 2026 after a series of construction and approval-related setbacks.
The section being opened for public use is about 3.5 kilometres long. Including its ramps and loops, the total structure extends to about 4.9 kilometres. It has six vehicle lanes, with three lanes in each direction, along with a dedicated cycle track and footpaths for pedestrians.
The new section extends the Barapullah corridor network created under its earlier phases. Around 6.75 kilometres of corridor had already been developed under Phases 1 and 2. The first phase, running from Sarai Kale Khan to Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, was completed in 2010 ahead of the Commonwealth Games during the tenure of the Sheila Dikshit government.
Once operational, the combined network is expected to reduce dependence on the DND Flyway, National Highway 9 and the Ring Road, while lowering traffic pressure at the Sarai Kale Khan junction. The project’s stated mobility benefit will depend on how traffic is distributed across these connected routes after the new link opens.
Construction was affected by delays in acquiring land from farmers and relocating a high-capacity electricity line that came in the path of the structure. A foundation for one of the pillars in the main channel of the Yamuna was damaged during the river’s July 2018 floods and had to be removed and rebuilt. Permissions related to cutting and transplanting trees, along with construction restrictions imposed during periods of severe air pollution, also slowed work.
The inauguration marks the completion of the delayed Phase 3 works. The corridor’s immediate operational role will be to provide the signal-free connection between Mayur Vihar Phase 1 and Sarai Kale Khan, with the linked route continuing towards Noida and AIIMS.
