Delhi to Mumbai by road in 12 hours? New expressway may reduce travel time

The new Delhi-Mumbai Expressway proposes to reduce road travel time between the two cities to just 12 hours. The expressway is likely to be operational within 30 to 36 months from the start of its construction, as mentioned by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari. This expressway is part of the Modi government's planned 42,000 km of economic corridors project named Bharatmala Pariyojana. The Delhi-Mumbai Greenfield Expressway will connect the two cities via Jaipur and Vadodara. Gadkari also said that the expressway is planned on the following route: Delhi-Gurugram-Mewat-Kota-Ratlam-Godhra-Vadodara-Surat-Dahisar-Mumbai.    

The minister said that the travel time between the two cities will be reduced to 12 hours for cars and 22 hours for trucks. The distance will also be reduced from 1,450 km to 1,250 km. The central government has allocated Rs 25,200 crore as compensation for farmers whose lands will be acquired for the project.

The expressway will be an eight-lane one and will be access-controlled. Once it is operational, the expressway is likely to decongest the national and state highways.

The Delhi-Mumbai Expressway will provide direct connectivity to Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport Terminal 3 via a 5-km long tunnel. There will be four multilevel interchanges with elevated roads or service ways on the expressway. It will also have cross-road underpasses at major points and an intelligent transportation system.

The expressway is also likely to uplift the economy of the backward areas on the route. Industries like manufacturing and tourism along the proposed highway will also see development. The expressway will also provide faster transportation of perishable goods like fruits, vegetables and dairy products.

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