The 3.5‑km stretch, which will finally tie Mayur Vihar Phase I to Sarai Kale Khan, has been slated for a grand opening on September 29, 2026, as PWD Minister Parvesh Verma confirmed on Saturday. The ceremony will feature Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, underscoring the political weight of the delay.
Verma’s statement follows a June 30 deadline that slipped through the cracks, leaving the corridor incomplete for the third time in nine years. In January, officials had warned of a 15‑month finish, only to slash the timeline again with a revised cost of ₹1,635 crore.
The cost hike, from an initial ₹1,260 crore, reflects a ₹370 crore surge tied to land acquisition, tree clearance and construction around the Yamuna. Earlier this year, the Delhi Anti‑Corruption Branch registered a case over alleged irregularities linked to the project, a probe still underway.
The corridor’s completion includes two ramps—one from Mayur Vihar, the other linking to the existing Barapullah stretch near Sarai Kale Khan—plus a bridge over the Yamuna and dedicated cycle and pedestrian tracks. It promises a signal‑free link to AIIMS and other south‑Delhi nodes.
Local commuters, like 45‑year‑old construction worker Ramesh Singh, say the new route will cut travel time by up to 30 minutes. The inauguration, slated for the 29th, will also mark the first public opening of the 9‑km combined corridor, a milestone after a decade of delays.
Officials expect the ceremony to conclude with a ribbon‑cutting and a brief speech from Amit Shah, after which the corridor will open to the public on the same day, completing a long‑awaited chapter in Delhi’s transport saga.