New Delhi – In a bid to ease the capital’s chronic gridlock, the Delhi government has finalized a master plan for a new parallel Ring Road. The proposed third Ring Road will trace a route alongside the existing Inner and Outer Ring Roads, creating a dedicated 55‑kilometre elevated corridor.

Project Overview

The Public Works Department (PWD) has completed the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the elevated stretch and earmarked ₹10 crore from the 2026‑27 budget for a feasibility study. The corridor will be built in six sequential phases, linking the northern and southern fringes of the city with a high‑speed, uninterrupted link.

Phased Implementation

The inaugural phase will cover the segment from Mukarba Chowk to Ashram. Subsequent priority sections include:

  • 9.5 km from Azadpur Flyover to ISBT Hanuman Mandir
  • 2.5 km from Chandgi Ram Akhara to Majnu Ka Tila
  • 11.5 km from ISBT to DND Flyover

Key Traffic Bottlenecks Targeted

Working with the traffic police, the PWD has pinpointed ten major choke points across Delhi, such as Ring Road, Mathura Road, Aurobindo Marg, Mehrauli‑Mahipalpur Road, and Rani Jhansi Road. Officials stress that merely adding flyovers will not solve the problem; a parallel high‑capacity route is essential, especially as more than 250,000 vehicles use the existing Ring Road during peak hours.

Financial Commitment

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta approved a budget of ₹5,921 crore for the PWD on March 24, 2026—an increase of roughly 54 % over the previous year’s allocation of ₹3,843 crore. The Transport Department will receive a total of ₹8,374 crore for complementary measures.

Project Highlights

  • Total length: 55 km
  • Alignment: Mukarba Chowk → Ashram (via DND)
  • Estimated cost: ~₹7,000 crore
  • DPR consultant: AECOM India
  • Construction: Six phases
  • Projected benefit: North‑to‑south travel time reduced to about 30 minutes

Challenges Ahead

While the plan is ambitious, several hurdles remain. Land acquisition and tree‑felling are expected to take close to two years, and relocating utilities for the elevated deck over the existing Ring Road could pose significant logistical difficulties. The feasibility study, funded at ₹10 crore, will assess these complexities in detail.

Why This Time Is Different

Proposals for a parallel Ring Road have surfaced three times in the past decade, yet none progressed beyond the planning stage. The current master plan, backed by a robust budget and a clear phased strategy, promises to finally deliver the relief Delhi commuters have long awaited.

"A dedicated 55‑km elevated ring is set to become the backbone of Delhi’s future mobility," said a senior PWD official.