The much-anticipated Delhi-Dehradun Expressway is set to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 14, The Indian Express reported on Saturday. Once operational, the expressway is expected to significantly ease traffic congestion in the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi and reduce the load on the Delhi-Meerut Expressway and other connecting highways.
The project has been executed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). A senior NHAI official, speaking to Indian Express confirmed the development, stating, “yes, it is scheduled to be inaugurated on that date.”
Route and Connectivity
The Delhi-Dehradun Expressway will start near Akshardham Temple in Delhi and pass through Baghpat, Baraut, Muzaffarnagar, Shamli, and Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh before ending at Dehradun in Uttarakhand.
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The expressway will also feature a spur towards Haridwar and connect to the Char Dhaam Highway, "thus enhancing the connectivity to the hill stations and pilgrimage sites of Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh," officials said.
Speed Limit and Travel Time
The expressway has a designated speed limit of 100 kmph. Officials noted that it is expected to reduce travel time between Delhi and Dehradun "from the current 6.5 hours to just 2.5 hours."
Project Cost and Infrastructure
The Delhi-Dehradun Expressway has been constructed at a cost of Rs 12,000 crore. This 6-lane access-controlled corridor includes seven interchanges, two railway overbridges (ROBs), ten bridges, and fourteen wayside amenities, designed to ensure high-speed travel with convenience and safety.
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The project also incorporates measures for environmental sustainability and wildlife protection. It features a 370-m-long tunnel near the Daat Kali temple and Asia's largest 12-km elevated wildlife corridor.
In addition, the expressway includes two 200-m-long elephant underpasses and six animal passes, ensuring safer wildlife crossings and reducing accidents.
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