Under the Bharatmala Project effort, which aims to improve India’s road network, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is spearheading the massive project, which will cost a total of Rs 13,000 crore.
The Delhi-Dehradun Expressway, which will significantly enhance infrastructure and connectivity, is scheduled to open in January 2025. It is expected to reduce travel time from around six hours to 2.5 hours as India’s first wildlife-friendly expressway. Environmental sustainability. This is a detailed analysis of the expressway’s features, improvements and benefits.
The Delhi-Dehradun Expressway running between Akshardham and the Eastern Peripheral Expressway (EPE) will be completed in three months, with some sections expected to be completed by the beginning of the new year.
Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari has announced that two road sections are ready for inauguration.
Delhi-Dehradun Expressway
Route observation
Total length: 210 km
Starting Point: Akshardham Delhi (NH 334).
End Point: Dehradun (NH 72).
Major pass-through locations: Ghaziabad, Baghpat, Shamli, Saharanpur, and Haridwar.
Corridor Design: Expressways bypass major urban traffic hotspots, providing smooth and uninterrupted travel.
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is spearheading the massive project, which will cost a total of Rs 13,000 crore, as part of the Bharatmala Project initiative, which aims to upgrade India’s road network.
The development of the project is divided into phases. The first phase runs 31.6 km from Akshardham to Khekra (EPE Junction) and has an elevated track of 18 km. It has a budget of Rs 1,323 crore and is almost finished, with testing and final details expected to be completed by December 2024.
According to a government release in April 2023, a 340-metre, three-lane tunnel near Datkali in Dehradun is also being constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 1,995 crore.
Emergency services, fire brigades, ambulances and trauma centers will be available on the highway. For safety, it will also have wildlife fencing and strong railings.
Phase 2: 118 km from EPE to Saharanpur bypass, with 6 lanes and multiple interchanges; Phase 3: Cover 40 km from Saharanpur bypass to Ganeshpur; Phase 4: Completes the last 20 km stretch from Ganeshpur to Dehradun with wildlife-friendly structures. Phase 1 starts from Delhi’s Akshardham Temple and extends 32 km to Eastern Peripheral Expressway (EPE) with 12 lanes.