Responding to a query in the Upper House, Gadkari said he has already sought time from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the formal inauguration of the expressway. “In the next 10–15 days, the Delhi–Dehradun expressway will be open for traffic,” he said.
Built at an estimated cost of Rs 120 billion, the 212-km, six-lane, access-controlled expressway is expected to substantially improve connectivity between the national capital and Uttarakhand’s capital. Once operational, it is expected to ease congestion on existing routes while supporting tourism and economic activity across the region.
The corridor has been developed in four sections and begins near the Delhi–Mumbai Expressway close to Akshardham. It passes through Shastri Park and Khajuri Khas, connects with the Eastern Peripheral Expressway at Khekra in Mandola, and continues through Baghpat, Shamli and Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh before terminating at Dehradun.
Environmental safeguards have been incorporated, particularly along the Ganeshpur–Dehradun stretch, to enable safe wildlife movement. The project includes a 12-km elevated section, six animal underpasses, two dedicated elephant underpasses, two major bridges and 13 minor bridges.
The expressway received government approval in 2020, with the foundation stone laid by Prime Minister Modi in December 2021. With construction nearing completion, the corridor is set to become one of the most significant road infrastructure links between Delhi and the hill state.
