About 90 per cent of funding is being provided by the central government and the state government is contributing the remainder, with the overall cost estimated at Rs 10 billion (bn). The two-phase design includes carriageways wider than originally planned, with two carriageways of nine metres each separated by a 1.5 metre divider, and a second-phase elevated stretch of 7.420 km. The first phase covers a 6.5 km stretch from Jalalpur Tiraaha to the Lakshmibai memorial.
60 per cent of construction has been completed so far, but delays have prompted requests for multiple extensions and the contractor has sought more time citing monsoon related disruption. The original contract provided a 30 month timeline from June 2022 and the completion date has been revised repeatedly, with the company seeking final delivery by June 2026 for the outstanding work. Once both phases are finished by 2027 the city will gain its first elevated road.
The elevated corridor will link key routes allowing vehicles to bypass the city centre and is expected to reduce traffic in Gwalior, Lashkar and Phoolbagh by nearly 50 per cent. It will feature 14 loops and connectivity points including Jiwajiganj, Phoolbagh and Girwai and is expected to save at least one hour on journeys between Morena and Shivpuri by avoiding central congestion. Rapid vehicle growth over the past six years has been significant, with about 0.125 million (mn) additional four wheelers recorded.
