Outlook Business Desk
Delhi-Dehradun Expressway is now fully operational from April 14 after its inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He also visited Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh to inspect the elevated wildlife corridor along the route near Dehradun.
The expressway passing through Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand will significantly cut travel time between Delhi and Dehradun. The journey will reduce from over six hours to around two and a half hours, improving regional connectivity and overall mobility.
The Delhi-Dehradun Expressway is a ₹11,868.6 crore infrastructure project. It was launched in February 2021 when Union Minister Nitin Gadkari laid the foundation stone. Meanwhile, PM Modi laid another foundation stone in December the same year, with completion planned for December 2024.
A 32-kilometre stretch of the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway from Akshardham, Geeta Colony and Shastri Park in Delhi via Mandola Vihar in Ghaziabad to Khekra in Baghpat was completed by mid-2025 and opened for public use in December 2025.
The corridor features over 100 underpasses and five railway overbridges. It provides seamless connectivity with major networks including the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, Eastern Peripheral Expressway and routes towards Haridwar and Roorkee.
Meanwhile, a 12-kilometre elevated wildlife corridor passes through Rajaji National Park to ensure safe animal movement. It includes six animal underpasses, eight animal passes, two 200-metre-long elephant underpasses and a 370-metre tunnel near Daat Kali temple.
The expressway is developed in four phases. Phase 1 covers a 32-kilometre 12-lane stretch from Akshardham in Delhi to the Eastern Peripheral Expressway near Baghpat. Phase 2 runs 118 kilometres up to Saharanpur Bypass with six lanes, seven interchanges and 60 underpasses.
Phase 3 extends 40 kilometres to Ganeshpur with six lanes. Phase 4 connects the final 20 kilometres to Dehradun and includes 4–6 lane sections, twin tunnels and elevated wildlife-friendly stretches.
The corridor is equipped with an Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS) designed to improve road safety and traffic flow efficiency. According to a PMO press release, the system has already been inaugurated along with the expressway.