In a dedicated push to improve infrastructure and connectivity, Union Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways and Corporate Affairs, Shri Harsh Malhotra, conducted a thorough inspection of the entire 210-kilometre stretch of the Delhi-Saharanpur-Dehradun Expressway. Accompanied by officials from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), the Minister closely reviewed the progress of one of North India’s most significant expressway projects.
Shri Malhotra expressed satisfaction with the overall pace of the work and highlighted the expressway’s vital role in easing traffic congestion in the National Capital Territory of Delhi. Once operational, the new route is expected to significantly reduce the burden on the Delhi-Meerut Expressway and other adjoining highways. More importantly, it promises to slash the travel time between Delhi and Dehradun from the current 6.5 hours to just 2.5 hours, making journeys faster, safer, and more efficient for millions of commuters.
During the inspection, the Minister took note of certain challenges reported by NHAI officials and instructed them to accelerate the remaining work so that the project can be completed within the scheduled timeframe. The assurance given by NHAI that the pending portions will be completed in the next two to three months brings fresh hope for early completion.
The expressway, which begins near the Akshardham Temple in Delhi and stretches through key cities such as Baghpat, Baraut, Muzaffarnagar, Shamli, and Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh before reaching Dehradun in Uttarakhand, is being built at an estimated cost of ₹12,000 crore. Designed for high-speed travel at up to 100 km per hour, the project includes a spur to Haridwar and connects with the Char Dham Highway, significantly enhancing accessibility to the revered pilgrimage routes and scenic hill stations of Uttarakhand.
True to the government’s commitment to balancing development with environmental preservation, the project also features Asia’s largest elevated corridor—12 kilometres long—through Rajaji National Park. This remarkable feat stands as a symbol of the Modi government’s resolve to harmonize infrastructure progress with ecological responsibility.
The inspection by Shri Harsh Malhotra not only reflects the Centre’s active monitoring of national projects but also resonates with the hopes of countless citizens who will benefit from better travel, trade, and tourism opportunities once the expressway is complete.