India's $45 Billion Greenfield Expressways Project Makes Impressive Strides But Faces Contiguity Challenges Due To Delays In Specific Packages

India is on an expressway-building spree.

PM Narendra Modi-led NDA government is currently constructing 21 greenfield expressway projects totaling over 8200 km across the country at a whopping cost of Rs 3.69 Lakh crores($45 billion). The expressways are at various stages of construction.

The total length of the 21 under construction greenfield expressways is 8282 km. Work is complete on 4387 km.

Here is a list of 21 greenfield expressways and the expected date of completion.

At least another 15 greenfield expressways worth over Rs 1.1 lakh crores are in the design stage and could advance to tendering phase over the next 12 months.

The expressways are being conceptualised and constructed by the National Highway Authority Of India (NHAI), a nodal agency operating under the auspices of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH). The MoRTH is developing the expressway network under PM Modi's flagship infrastructure program - Bharatmala Pariyojana.

As the the highest class of roads in India, expressways are developed with controlled-access main carriageway where entrance and exits are controlled by the use of cloverleaf, no intersections or traffic signals, trumpet or grade separated interchanges and designed for maximum speed of 120 km/h,

(Note- Besides NHAI, agencies operating under the state government, especially UPEIDA (Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority) and MSRDC (Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation) are also developing greenfield expressway networks within their state.)

Even as the expressway projects of NHAI make impressive strides, delays in specific packages continue to remain a challenge.

The Case Of Delhi-Mumbai Expressway

The ambitious 1386 km Delhi-Mumbai expressway project is being constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 103,000 crore. The expressway originates near Gurugram at Sohna and terminates at Mumbai and upon completion will cut the distance between the national and financial capital of India by 280 km.

The expressway traverses five states: Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Maharashtra.

The NHAI is executing it through 52 packages for the main carriageway (all packages except one have been awarded). As part of its strategy to minimize single-contractor dependence, NHAI picked 29 different construction firms for the project.

While over 630 km is already operational including the Sohna-Dausa-Sawai Madhopur (293 km) and Jhalawar-MP/Gujarat border (245 km), the progress faces significant delays primarily due to land-related challenges in Gujarat.

Two packages totaling around 62 km in Gujarat (Vadodar-Mumbai stretch) were awarded only in Nov 2023 and construction commenced this April.

NHAI authorities have expressed confidence that a contiguous 845 km stretch from Sohna to Vadodara will be fully operational by March 2025.

One package in Andhra section could delay full completion of Bengaluru-Chennai greenfield expressway

Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari recently indicated that the Bengaluru-Chennai greenfield expressway will be inaugurated by PM Modi before December this year.

While the Karnataka section of the expressway (71 km) is nearly complete, significant work remains in Andhra and Tamil Nadu packages.

Completed sections include Hoskote to Malur (26.4 km) at Rs 2,761.12 crore, Malur to Bangarpet (27.1 km) costing Rs 1,496.30 crore, and Bangarpet to Bethamangala (17.5 km) at Rs 1,047.63 crore.

Removal of a hillock to facilitate the construction of a minor bridge is only work that remains to complete in Karnataka.

Responding to any question posed by Rajya Sabha member P.Wilson, Gadkari provided details on the completion status of the four packages of the expressway currently under execution in Tamil Nadu.

Even though Gadkari continues to sound optimistic about the December 2024 inauguration, analysis of the progress on various packages suggests that the realistic time frame for completion of all packages is August 2025 except for one package in Andhra which is likely to be operational in early 2026.

Delhi-Katra Expressway

The NHAI recently warned that it may move to terminate at least eight ongoing major highway and expressway projects in Punjab, worth around Rs 14,288 crore if the prevailing law and order situation in the state does not improve.

The warning was issued by Gadkari in a letter he wrote to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann late last week.

Gadkari's letter was prompted by multiple instances of violence and intimidation directed against engineers, workers, and contractors engaged by NHAI in the ongoing construction of the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway. Engineers And others working on the project have been threatened that they will be burnt alive and their camp office will be set ablaze.

Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway, Amritsar-Jamnagar Expressway, and several projects face several execution challenges in Punjab.

The 669 km Delhi-Amritsar-Katra greenfield expressway is currently under construction at an estimated cost of Rs 40,000 crore.

The ambitious greenfield expressway project aims to significantly reduce travel time between Delhi and Katra, promoting regional connectivity and economic growth. However, the project has faced resistance from farmers, particularly regarding land acquisition and compensation.

Over the past few months, farmer protests have intensified, with many expressing dissatisfaction over the terms of compensation and the process of land acquisition. 

According to NHAI officials, land is still not made available for around 100 km out of the 400 km stretch passing through Punjab for the Delhi-Katra Expressway project. He added that most of this stretch is in Ludhiana and Gurdaspur districts

Phase 1 of the project involves the construction of a 398 km greenfield expressway connecting Delhi, Ludhiana, Gurdaspur and a 99 km spur connecting Nakodar and Amritsar. Phase 2 will connect Gurdaspur,Pathankot , Jammu and Katra.

The Punjab portion of the expressway passes through Ludhiana, Patiala, Sangrur, Jalandhar, Kapurthala, and Gurdaspur districts while the alignment of greenfield connectivity to Amritsar crosses through Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Tarn Taran, and Amritsar districts.

Phase 1 (all greenfield) was tendered out as 15 packages with the main Delhi – Gurdaspur Expressway comprising of 12 packages and the Nakodar-Amritsar spur consisting of three.

The Way Forward

Given the plans to build more expressways, the Union government is planning the creation of a distinct authority to manage expressways, similar to the NHAI This move could address the unique construction and tolling systems of expressways.

The creation of a separate agency could help in achieving better project management practices including monitoring of progress, addressing land acquisition challenges.