New Delhi, Jan 24 (IANS): Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari will on Saturday lay the foundation stone for a new highway project to decongest Delhi by connecting the city with the Eastern Peripheral Expressway.

To be built at a cost of Rs 2,820 crore, the six-lane, access-controlled corridor will connect Akshardham in east Delhi with the Eastern Peripheral Expressway junction on Baghpat Road, the Ministry said.

"The 31.3 km road stretch is part of NH-709B that will run from Akshardham to Saharanpur bypass," an official statement said.

The project will be developed in two packages -- first a 14.75 km stretch from Akshardham to Delhi/UP border and the other 16.57 km stretch from Delhi/UP border to EPE Intersection, it added.

There will be a 19 km elevated section and the project includes construction of 3+3 lane service roads on either side of the highway, eight new underpasses, seven ramps connecting major roads, 15 major junctions, 34 minor junctions, and overbridges at Delhi-Shahdara, New Delhi-Anand Vihar railway lines and Dilshad Garden-ISBT Metro Line, it said.

"The high-speed signal-free corridor is expected to contribute to decongestion and considerable reduction in pollution levels in Delhi NCR," the Ministry said.