Centre Approves ₹1,878 Crore Zirakpur Bypass Project to Decongest Chandigarh-Panchkula Corridor

New Delhi— In a major step towards boosting road infrastructure in North India, the Union Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the construction of a six-lane Zirakpur bypass to improve connectivity across Punjab and Haryana. The 19.2-km bypass will be built under the Hybrid Annuity Mode at a total capital cost of ₹1,878.31 crore.

The project, part of the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan, will link NH-7 (Zirakpur-Patiala) and NH-5 (Zirakpur-Parwanoo), bypassing the highly congested areas of Zirakpur in Punjab and Panchkula in Haryana.

According to official data, the new bypass aims to reduce traffic congestion in the Zirakpur-Panchkula region by diverting vehicles traveling from Patiala, Delhi, and Mohali Aerocity, while also ensuring smoother access to Himachal Pradesh.

Officials said the bypass is a critical component of the Centre’s broader initiative to decongest the Chandigarh, Mohali, and Panchkula urban agglomeration through the development of a ring road network. Once completed, it is expected to cut down travel time and streamline traffic flow on the overburdened stretches of NH-7, NH-5, and NH-152.