North-South Corridor To Make Travelling Easier In Delhi  

Commuting in the national capital, from one corner to another will no more be a tedious task. The Delhi government has submitted the proposal to Unified Traffic and Transportation Infrastructure regarding the construction of the elevated corridor between the north Delhi and the south Delhi, also known as the North-South Corridor. Here are all the details you need to know about this upcoming infrastructure.

The North-South Corridor will be connecting Wazirabad to the Indira Gandhi International Airport. It would start at the Signature Bridge in the north Delhi and would pass through the congested zones of Zakhira, Pankha Road and Dwarka and end at the Urban Extension Road-II near the airport. The corridor will include a 28-kilometre (km) elevated six-lane road as well as two three-km long tunnels. These tunnels will be built at Mayapuri and Dabri Mod. The road would also run parallel to the Najafgarh Drain for nine kms. This signal-free corridor is expected to be completed by 2022. 

The route is expected to impact the Delhi residents in multiple ways:

• The commute time between the two destinations — Wazirabad and the Indira Gandhi International Airport — will be reduced drastically. While at present it takes almost three hours to complete the journey, with the completion of the upcoming infrastructure, the travel time will be reduced to only half an hour. 
• The signal-free corridor will help reduce traffic jams, which has become a norm these days on the busy north and south Delhi roads.
• The state government has also planned to run smart-electric buses on the route to boost connectivity through public transport between the two points.
• The Delhi Master Plan 2021 talks about mobility transition for a sustainable urban transport system for the city that is equitable, safe, comfortable, affordable, energy efficient and environment-friendly. The corridor is a step towards fulfilling this vision. 

Apart from this, the East-West Corridor is also under consideration that would connect the ISBT Anand Vihar to the Tikri Border. However, the plan is being reworked due to alignment issues as the proposed route demands the road to pass through railway tracks and congested areas. The proposed East-West Corridor will pass through ITO and the New Delhi Railway Station. A tunnel is being planned between the New Delhi Railway Station and the New Rohtak Road, some of the heavily congested stretches. 

Impact on Delhi real estate

As the Delhi government lays key emphasis on transit-oriented development, the corridor would bring to life the real estate markets of Zakhira, Rohini, Dwarka, etc.  The average property prices of this corridor are in the range of Rs 4,000-7,000 per sqft. With this development, the rental demand would see a direct impact in adjoining areas such as Uttam Nagar, Janakpuri, Tilak Nagar, Kirti Nagar and other neighbourhoods. 

Since the corridor will be boosting connectivity to the airport, people travelling to Aerocity for work from north of Delhi would find it easier to commute. At present, the only convenient way is the Metro's Airport-Express line. Moreover, Janakpuri District Centre, Paschim Vihar and Rajouri Garden are few other retail hotspots that would be benefitted with this new infrastructure. There would be multiple drive outs to be planned at various points along this corridor. This way, those who travel from Rohini towards the retail hub of the North-West Delhi would be benefitted. It is not just residential, the commercial hotspots are the ones which would be greatly impacted by this new development, as faster connectivity to and through the area would make the site more preferable for businesses.