Guwahati, April 1: The signal-free intersection at Jalukbari in Guwahati will not only be the Northeast's first but will also be one of the most beautiful in the country with the National Highways Authority of India planning to set up a green zone and pedestrian pathways at the junction to beautify the area.

The NHAI has set an August deadline for completion of the intersection built on the lines of the one located near All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi.

Gammon India Ltd is the contractor for the construction of the main bridge and signal-free intersection while Mott Macdonald is the supervision consultant. The NHAI claimed that the landscape at the junction would be even better than the Delhi one.

"Work on the signal-free intersection will be over by August which will ease traffic at the otherwise snarl-hit junction. Not just that, we are planning to beautify the entire Jalukbari junction with landscape, pedestrian pathways, walkways, sitting areas, green islands and lawns. The area below the flyover is also proposed to be turned into a green zone with sloping lawns and water channels. The area will be a parking-free zone," Raj Chakrabarty, chief general manager (Northeast region), NHAI, told The Telegraph today.

The signal-free intersection, the construction of which started in 2011, will facilitate smooth movement of vehicles to four directions - Saraighat bridge, Nagaon/Upper Assam (NH 37 bypass), Goalpara and the city.

In the original scope of work, a grade separator was considered at Jalukbari rotary and subsequently the same was replaced by the intersection having three loops, three ramps and a 244metre six-lane main grade separator (flyover) linked to the existing bridge as well as the 1,493metre single girder new bridge.

"Vehicles can move freely without any signal and facilitate free movement in all the four directions," Chakrabarty said. Asked about the delay in completion of the intersection, he said, "The work got delayed as the encumbrance-free land was given lately and permission for extraction of forest material was also delayed. The land under the possession of Jalukbari police outpost was only handed over three months ago for which construction of loop three overshot time."

The right side of the main carriageway over the grade separator, including loop two, was opened to traffic last month. "Vehicles coming from the city can go directly to the Brahmaputra bridge via loop two," he added. The left side of the main carriageway over grade separator was opened to traffic on August 30 last year. The NHAI has invested Rs 127 crore in constructing the signal-free intersection. "The beautification part is being planned at present and its estimate will be worked out later," Chakrabarty said.