Modi cabinet clears ₹1,878 crore Zirakpur Bypass to decongest Chandigarh-Panchkula region

In a significant boost to regional infrastructure, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday approved the construction of a six-lane Zirakpur Bypass. The ambitious project, estimated to cost ₹1,878.31 crore, aims to ease traffic congestion in the bustling tri-city region of Chandigarh, Panchkula and Mohali.

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The proposed 19.2-km-long stretch will connect NH-7 (Zirakpur-Patiala) to NH-5 (Zirakpur-Parwanoo), and traverse parts of Punjab and Haryana. The bypass will be developed under the hybrid annuity mode as part of the central government’s flagship infrastructure initiative — the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan.

Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, announcing the cabinet decision, said this is the first of several upcoming road projects that would eventually create a comprehensive Ring Road network around the urban areas of Chandigarh and its adjoining cities.

The bypass begins at the NH-7 junction near Zirakpur — which connects to Patiala and Bathinda — and terminates at the NH-5 junction towards Parwanoo in Panchkula, Haryana. This route will serve as a vital corridor for traffic moving between Delhi, Patiala, Mohali Aerocity and Himachal Pradesh.

The government said the primary objective of the project is to reduce vehicular congestion in Zirakpur, Panchkula and nearby urban centers. By diverting through-traffic and providing seamless inter-state connectivity, the bypass is expected to significantly bring down travel time and improve road safety across NH-7, NH-5 and NH-152.

The Centre has been actively working on plans to decongest the Chandigarh-Panchkula-Mohali urban cluster. The Zirakpur bypass is set to play a critical role in achieving this by enhancing the road network capacity and paving the way for future urban mobility solutions.

The project aligns with the broader vision of the PM Gati Shakti plan, which focuses on multimodal infrastructure development and integrated planning to boost logistics efficiency and economic growth.