By Arun Pratap Singh
Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 21 Oct: The much-awaited Delhi–Dehradun Greenfield Access-Controlled Expressway, in short called as Delhi-Dehradun Expressway has missed yet another deadline. It was due to be inaugurated in October as per a recent claim made by Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, but now this does not appear likely.
National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) officials have now claimed that the inauguration of the Expressway by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is now likely in November, more than a year and half later than the original deadline.
This expressway, which promises to drastically cut travel time between the national capital, western Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, is nearing completion after several delays. Just two months ago, it was projected to open by October. It remains to be seen, however, if the inauguration really takes place in November as is being promised now or the project will miss yet another deadline.
Spanning 212 kilometres, the six-lane expressway will connect Akshardham in Delhi with Dehradun via Kharkhoda, Shamli, and Saharanpur. Once operational, it will enable commuters from Delhi, Noida, and Ghaziabad to reach Uttarakhand’s capital in less than three hours, bypassing the congested routes through Meerut and Muzaffarnagar Bypasses. The road is also expected to decongest traffic on existing highways and offer a faster, non-stop travel experience to thousands of daily commuters.
It may be recalled that, in August this year, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari had announced that the expressway would be inaugurated in October. However, as of 21 October, sources indicate that only 90 to 95 percent of the work has been completed. Minor finishing tasks, including signage installation, landscaping, and electronic tolling system calibration, are still in progress. Officials cite technical and safety compliance checks as the key reasons behind the delay.
NHAI officials have now stated that the expressway is undergoing final inspections and that remaining stretches are being fine-tuned to ensure seamless connectivity before public use. Trial runs have already been conducted successfully, and the deficiencies identified have been rectified. Though unofficial sources claim that the Authority has also identified around 26 pillars on the elevated Wildlife corridor over Mohand Forest which need to be further strengthened, but they also add that this can be done even as the Expressway is opened and this may not delay the project any further. Trial runs on the Wildlife Corridor have been done successfully but the opening of this section has been reportedly delayed due to an under-construction flyover to connect the corridor with the Daat Kali Temple. This flyover was not part of the initial project, and the construction had begun only around six months ago after being added to the project. From Saharanpur section of this four-phase expressway, a direct link to Haridwar is also under construction.
The expressway begins from Akshardham, Geeta Colony, Loni, Baghpat and extends up to Dehradun via Khekra, Shamli, and Saharanpur. The initial 31.6-kilometre stretch from Akshardham to the Eastern Peripheral Expressway (EPE) crossing near Khekra is already complete. This section, which will particularly benefit commuters from East and South Delhi, is designed to allow smooth access to Uttar Pradesh without traffic interruptions. Motorists from South Delhi will be able to travel from Nizamuddin via the Delhi–Meerut Expressway to Akshardham, and from there to the UP border through Geeta Colony on the new access-controlled route.
A remarkable feature of this project is its 18-kilometre elevated section from Akshardham to Loni border. Also, another elevated road section is over Mohand Forest and is being called the elevated Wildlife Corridor which will drastically cut the drive time between Saharanpur section till Dehradun. In Delhi, the elevated stretch in Delhi will ensure an uninterrupted journey, while another 13 kilometres will run at ground level without traffic intersections. The entire corridor includes a six-lane access-controlled expressway accompanied by a parallel six-lane service road, providing better local connectivity for residents living along the route.
The project, which was conceived as part of the Bharatmala Pariyojana, aims to improve regional connectivity and reduce travel time between Delhi and Dehradun to just 2.5 hours. The expressway is also expected to bolster tourism in Uttarakhand by providing faster access to destinations such as Haridwar, Rishikesh, and Mussoorie.
Originally estimated at a cost of around Rs 13,000 crore, the expressway has faced delays due to land acquisition challenges, environmental clearances, and monsoon-related construction hurdles. Despite these setbacks, the NHAI claims that the project is now in its final phase and will be ready for inauguration in November, turning it into a potential post-Diwali gift for commuters from Dehradun and from Delhi and Uttar Pradesh.
Once operational, the Delhi–Dehradun Expressway is expected to be one of India’s most advanced road corridors, equipped with wildlife corridors, green bridges, and intelligent traffic management systems, a landmark infrastructure project linking the plains to the foothills of the Himalayas.
