The crucial section linking central Delhi to the sprawling Delhi-Mumbai Expressway is on track to be operational by June 2026, the government has confirmed, marking a significant step towards completing India’s longest expressway. The update was provided by Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari in a written reply to the Lok Sabha on Thursday.
Responding to a question from south Delhi MP Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, Gadkari detailed that the 59-kilometre DND-Faridabad-Sohna link is being built in three packages. While the latter two have already been completed and opened, the first 9-kilometre stretch from the DND junction to Jaitpur is now 94.23% complete.
"The Project package-1 from DND junction to Jaitpur of 9 km is in advance stage of construction... and is scheduled to be completed by June 2026," the minister stated, according to the parliamentary record.
He attributed previous delays specifically to "delay in approval of the general arrangement drawings of the structure from the Uttar Pradesh irrigation department for crossing of Agra canal."
In his reply, Gadkari also provided a significant financial update, revealing that a total of Rs 71,718 crore has been expended on the ambitious Delhi-Mumbai Expressway project to date.
Upon the opening of this last segment, seamless high-speed access from the heart of Delhi onto the vast expressway network will be established. The entire 1,350-kilometre corridor, a flagship infrastructure project, is designed as an eight-lane, access-controlled highway with a design speed of 120 kmph and is expandable to 12 lanes in future.
It traverses six states: Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra, directly connecting the national capital with the country’s financial hub, Mumbai.
The project is being developed with a focus on sustainability, billed as a "green corridor." Features include extensive tree plantation drives to offset carbon emissions, solar-powered lighting on select stretches and the integration of wildlife crossings and sound barriers to mitigate ecological impact. The route will also boast over 2,000 water recharge points and more than 94 on-route amenities for travellers.
The completion of the Delhi link represents the last major piece in the northern part of the puzzle, bringing the full, transformative vision of cutting travel time between the two megacities to approximately 12 hours firmly within reach.
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