Delhi-Dehradun Expressway Nears Launch: Travel Time to Shrink to 2.5 Hours – Check Opening Date | Delhi News

Delhi-Dehradun Expressway Set for October Launch

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Delhi News: The long-awaited Delhi-Dehradun Expressway, which promises to significantly cut down travel time between the national capital and the Uttarakhand capital, is set to open to the public by October 2025. The ambitious project, being executed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), is poised to ease traffic congestion in Delhi and decongest existing routes such as the Delhi-Meerut Expressway.

Route to the Hills

Starting from Akshardham in Delhi, the high-speed corridor will run through key Uttar Pradesh districts — Baghpat, Baraut, Muzaffarnagar, Shamli, and Saharanpur — before culminating in Dehradun. The expressway will also include a spur connecting to Haridwar, improving connectivity to major pilgrimage sites and hill stations.

Once operational, the access-controlled expressway will reduce the Delhi-Dehradun travel time from 6.5 hours to just 2.5 hours. The route has been designed with a designated speed limit of 100 kmph, ensuring swift and safe journeys for commuters. It will also serve as a crucial link to the Char Dham Highway, further enhancing road infrastructure in the Himalayan region.

Rs 11,869 Crore Mega Project

Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, in a written response to a question raised in the Rajya Sabha on July 23, confirmed that the ₹11,868.6 crore project is on track for completion by October 2025. The expressway is part of the central government’s broader push to bolster connectivity across northern India.

Green Measures Amid Tree Felling

As part of environmental mitigation efforts, the government revealed that 17,913 trees were felled or transplanted for the project. In compensation, afforestation work is being undertaken across 157.2 hectares at a cost of ₹22.05 crore. Additionally, the NHAI has initiated avenue plantation of 50,600 trees within the Right of Way (RoW). An eco-restoration fund of ₹40 crore has also been allocated to the Shivalik Forest Division (UP) and the Dehradun Forest Division (Uttarakhand).

The expressway, once opened, is expected to serve as a game-changer for inter-state travel, tourism, and economic development between Delhi, western UP, and Uttarakhand.

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