The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has sanctioned the development of a six-lane twin-tube tunnel on NH-148AE, marking a major step towards improving road connectivity between West and South Delhi. The project will establish a direct link between the Dwarka Expressway and Nelson Mandela Marg at Vasant Kunj, with an estimated investment of Rs 6,969.67 crore.
The project will be implemented under the Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM) of the National Highways (Original) scheme. Designed to ease traffic pressure along the heavily congested Vasant Kunj–Mahipalpur corridor, the new tunnel is expected to streamline vehicle movement while strengthening the capital’s transport infrastructure.
Spanning 3.14 km, the twin-tube tunnel will be constructed using tunnel boring machine (TBM) technology. Approximately 1.98 km of the alignment will pass beneath the environmentally sensitive Rangpuri section of the Southern Ridge, ensuring minimal disturbance to the protected forest ecosystem. The tunnel will begin at the Shivmurti Interchange on the Dwarka Expressway and emerge near the junction of Nelson Mandela Marg and the Mahipalpur–Chhatarpur Road.
The proposed infrastructure is expected to significantly reduce travel time between key parts of the city, ease congestion on major arterial roads, and provide a more efficient transport corridor linking West Delhi with South Delhi. The project is also expected to enhance overall urban mobility and support the long-term expansion of the National Capital Region’s road network.