Rs 12,000 Crore Delhi-Dehradun Expressway To Open Soon, Reducing Travel Time To 2.5 Hours

The much-anticipated Delhi-Dehradun Expressway, spanning over 210 kilometers, is slated to open in January 2025, promising to drastically reduce travel time between the two cities from 6.5 hours to just 2.5 hours.

This infrastructure project, costing Rs 12,000 crore, aims to transform connectivity while prioritising safety and environmental conservation.

The expressway incorporates cutting-edge design features, including a 12-km elevated wildlife corridor, six animal underpasses, and two elephant underpasses, ensuring safe passage for animals along the route from Ganeshpur to Dehradun. Additional provisions include a 340-meter-long, three-lane tunnel at Datkali in Dehradun, constructed at a cost of Rs 1,995 crore.

Key infrastructure along the expressway includes:

• 16 entry and exit points

• 113 underpasses for vehicular and light traffic

• 76 km of service roads

• 29 km of elevated roads

• 62 bus shelters

This meticulous planning underscores the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways' (MoRTH) commitment to efficiency, traveler safety, and environmental preservation.

The 212-km six-lane Greenfield Access-Controlled Expressway starts at the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway near Akshardham and passes through Shastri Park, Khajuri Khas, Mandola EPE Interchange, Baghpat, Shamli, and Saharanpur, before reaching Dehradun. Its strategic route is expected to benefit commuters, tourists, and freight operators alike.

The expressway is poised to bring a transformative shift in regional connectivity, fostering economic growth and tourism while curbing urban migration by boosting development in the surrounding areas, reports India Today.

"The Delhi-Dehradun Expressway is not just a road; it’s a commitment to improved connectivity, safety, and environmental harmony,” the MoRTH stated.