The construction of the much-anticipated Kota tunnel on the Mumbai-Delhi Expressway has reached its final phase, which is set to reduce the road travel time between Gurugram and Vadodara from 20–22 hours to just around 10 hours.
The ambitious eight-lane, access-controlled Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, which will cover 1,380 km in total, is nearing completion, with major sections already operational. Built at a cost of Rs 95,000 crore, the expressway is poised to drive economic growth and tourism.
According to media reports, the entire expressway is set to be completed by October 2025. However, the Gurugram-to-Dausa stretch is now fully operational. This segment has already proven to cut down travel time drastically between Delhi NCR and eastern Rajasthan, providing a smoother and faster ride.
From Dausa, the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway extends through Rajasthan, heading toward Kota. A 4-km-long tunnel near the Mukundra Hills is under construction to navigate the region’s hilly terrain. The stretch from Dausa to the tunnel entrance in Kota has already been completed and is currently operational.
Beyond the tunnel, the expressway advances toward Gujarat, establishing a direct corridor between the Kota region and Vadodara. The expressway culminates at Vadodara, a major urban centre and crucial junction en route to Mumbai.
Designed for high-speed travel, the expressway allows vehicles to drive at a maximum speed of 120 kmph. The expressway has been built with a 21-meter-wide median, allowing for future expansion from eight lanes to 12 without major disruption.
Officials from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) claim the expressway is among the most advanced in the world. Sustainability has been a core focus, with wildlife-friendly tunnels and eco-sensitive infrastructure integrated into areas such as the Mukundra Tiger Reserve to minimise ecological disruption.
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