Delhi–Dehradun Expressway inaugurated: ₹11,868 cr investment, travel duration shortened down to 2.5 hours

On April 14, the Delhi-Dehradun Economic Corridor, often known as the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway, will be completely operational. PM Narendra Modi officially opened the motorway. Prior to performing Pooja at the Jai Maa Daat Kali Temple near Dehradun, he traveled to Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, to examine the Wildlife Corridor’s elevated part. Traveling between Delhi and Dehradun would take about two and a half hours instead of the current six hours thanks to the Delhi–Dehradun Expressway, which will run through Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.

  Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari laid the project’s foundation stone in February 2021. In December of that year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi lay another foundation stone. Originally scheduled to be finished by December 2024, the highway was constructed at a total cost of ₹11,868.6 crore. A 32-km stretch, from Delhi (Akshardham, Geeta Colony, Shastri Park) through Mandola Vihar in Ghaziabad to Khekra in Baghpat, was completed by mid-2025 and opened to the public in December 2025.

There are five railroad overbridges and over 100 underpasses on the freeway. It will connect with key corridors such as the Delhi–Mumbai Expressway, the Eastern Peripheral Expressway, and routes leading to Haridwar and Roorkee.

A prominent attraction is the 12-km elevated wildlife corridor across Rajaji National Park, designed to facilitate safe animal movement. It features six animal underpasses, eight animal passes, two 200-metre-long elephant underpasses, and a 370-metre tunnel near the Daat Kali temple.

The expressway has been developed in four phases. Phase 1 covers a 32-km, 12-lane route from Akshardham Temple in Delhi to the Eastern Peripheral Expressway at Baghpat. Phase 2 stretches 118 km from the EPE to the Saharanpur Bypass, with six lanes, seven interchanges, and 60 underpasses. Phase 3 stretches 40 km from the Saharanpur Bypass to Ganeshpur with six lanes. Phase 4 connects Ganeshpur to Dehradun over 20 km, featuring 4–6 lanes and including twin tunnels as well as elevated parts suited for animal movement.

The corridor is integrated with an Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS) to promote safety and improve traffic efficiency, according to a PMO press statement.