Delhi's New Delhi-Mumbai Expressway link opens in December

Starting December, commuters from Delhi, Noida, and Ghaziabad will no longer need to navigate the congested Mathura Road to reach Agra or access the newly-constructed Mumbai Expressway. The entire 59 km stretch, spanning from DND Flyway (near Maharani Bagh) to Delhi-Mumbai Expressway (at Sohna), is set to open for traffic by the year's end, as confirmed by the Minister of Road Transport, Nitin Gadkari.

Gadkari, accompanied by top officials and local leaders, conducted a physical inspection of the 33 km segment between DND Flyway and Ballabhgarh Bypass on Wednesday. The 26 km stretch from Ballabhgarh to Sohna on Delhi-Mumbai Expressway has been operational since March 2023. The three segments are being developed with a total investment of Rs 7,000 crore, covering land acquisition and civil construction costs.

The completion of this link will not only provide direct connectivity to Delhi-Mumbai Expressway but will also enable commuters to reach Palwal in just 25-30 minutes from DND Flyway. This development is expected to alleviate congestion on Mathura Road, currently the primary route for vehicles heading to Faridabad, Palwal, Agra, and beyond, according to a senior NHAI official.

Furthermore, the finished link will allow travellers from Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand to drive seamlessly to Mumbai via the Delhi-Dehradun and Delhi-Meerut expressways, a reality anticipated in the coming year. The Delhi-Dehradun and Delhi-Mumbai stretches are projected to be fully operational by 2025.

Addressing reporters after the inspection, Gadkari highlighted the air pollution and congestion issues faced by Delhi. He emphasised the government's commitment to extensive road development projects aimed at improving traffic flow and air quality. With completed projects worth Rs 300 billion already and an additional Rs 350 billion investment expected to be completed in 2024-25, the government is actively working towards enhancing the capital city's infrastructure.

Regarding other major projects, Gadkari revealed that 85% of the work on the Urban Extension Road-II (UER-II) is complete, and the Dwarka Expressway project is nearing its conclusion. The minister expressed optimism about inaugurating the completed packages of UER-II and Dwarka Expressway, having requested the Prime Minister's presence for the event in the next 10-12 days.