A trial run has begun on a portion of the Delhi–Dehradun Expressway, offering the first look at the high-speed corridor expected to ease travel between the national capital and Uttarakhand. The month-long trial is being conducted on a 32-km stretch linking Delhi with Baghpat in Uttar Pradesh, which is expected to temporarily reduce congestion on existing routes.
The 210-km expressway starts near the Akshardham Metro station in Delhi and passes through Baghpat, Baraut, Shamli and Saharanpur before terminating in Dehradun. Designed as an access-controlled corridor, it will feature six to twelve lanes along different sections.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone in December 2024, with the project originally slated for completion the same year. However, the Rs 118.68 billion development has faced delays, and the opening is now targeted for February 2026.
Once fully operational, the expressway is expected to reduce the current six-hour journey between Delhi and Dehradun to about two and a half hours, significantly improving connectivity and easing long-standing traffic bottlenecks along the route.
News source: Hindustan Times
