GURUGRAM: Kherki Dala bypass road has been unofficially opened to public a week ago. This alternative route, built by Huda through Sector 76, is near to complete, except for a 400m stretch between sectors 76 and 77. This is a four-lane, 5km road on the eastern side of Delhi-Gurugram Expressway, connecting Southern Peripheral Road with NH-8.

Started in January, Huda is planning to complete the road after the monsoons. The road merges with NH-8 a mere 300m from the toll plaza. Before its operation, skipping the regular jams at the toll plaza, trucks and cars have already started practicing the road.

As per Huda officials, construction of a mere 400m of the road is pending, which will be completed after the monsoons. They are also with the view that they haven’t officially inaugurated the road, but trucks and cars have started using it already

Rahul Singla, director of real estate major Mapsko, echoed his sentiments: “The alternative route will act as a cherry on the cake for commuters, who won’t have to encounter traffic jams. It will also improve connectivity and herald the development of adjoining residential sectors, benefiting homebuyers.”

The residents of new sectors — 80-90 will also get benefited from this bypass road as they will be able to reach Golf Course Road, Sohna road, Faridabad road and other parts of Gurugram without a need to cross the toll plaza. Harinder Dhillon, VP (sales), DLF, said, “The road bypassing Kherki Daula toll will change New Gurugram’s travel map. It will allow commuters from Golf Course Road, Faridabad and parts of Gurugram to reach Manesar directly, without encountering the Kherki Daula toll. Not only will it enhance connectivity to New Gurugram, but also drastically reduce travel time.”

Mr. Ravish Kapoor, Director, Elan Group said, Developers with projects in new sectors are excited, as the Huda road will improve connectivity and reduce travel time. The road will become a lifeline for lakhs of commuters coming from Faridabad and nearby areas to Gurugram, as they would be able to reach Manesar without having to cross the congested and time taking Kherki Daula toll plaza. It will also benefit real estate projects coming up along SPR, many of which are expected to be completed by June. Overall it will be adding an advantage to the potential buyers.

While, Millennium City Expressway Private Limited (MCEPL), the company managing the Kherki-Daula toll plaza, has raised objections over the road, wrote a letter to NHAI. MCEPL, doubting the fall in revenues from toll collections, says “This project is being given a completion target of July 2018, and will connect to NH-8 at the 42km milestone. If this road is connected with NH-8, the revenue generated by the toll plaza, also at 42km, will be reduced to a minimum, as maximum traffic will be diverted via the four-lane Huda road.”

MCEPL further wrote that, “We request the access of this Huda road with NH-8 should not be granted, so as to repudiate clauses of the concession agreement.”

On the unofficial opening, Times of India (TOI) did a reality check of the new road. The newspaper found that in a span of 5 minutes, 15-20 trucks had used the road, though cars were comparatively fewer in number.