Delhi-Dehradun Expressway Progress: Travel Time Slashed to 2.5 Hours

Review of the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway Project

On May 17, Harsh Malhotra, the Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways, assessed the ongoing development of the 210 km Delhi-Dehradun Expressway. Officials from the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) reported that the remaining sections of this significant project are expected to be finished within the next two to three months. Once operational, the expressway will significantly reduce travel time from 6.5 hours to just 2.5 hours.

The project, which is being developed at an estimated cost of around Rs 12,000 crore, will connect Akshardham in Delhi to Dehradun, passing through Baghpat, Shamli, and Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh. Currently, a 3.4 km stretch from Datkali to Ashrauri in Dehradun is already in operation.

Key features of the expressway include 113 underpasses, five railway over-bridges, 76 km of service roads, 16 entry and exit points, 29 km of elevated roads, and 62 bus shelters. Additionally, a three-lane tunnel measuring 340 meters has been constructed at Datkali in Dehradun.

However, the project has faced delays due to legal disputes over land in Mandola, Ghaziabad, where a two-storey house is obstructing a crucial segment. Officials are currently awaiting final rulings from the Supreme Court and the High Court. Furthermore, a minor issue arose in March 2025 when a pillar of the expressway in Saharanpur collapsed, but it was swiftly addressed.