The long-awaited Delhi-Mumbai Expressway project has encountered further delays, with its completion now expected to be pushed back to 2026, a substantial delay from the originally planned completion date of January 2023. The expressway, designed to reduce travel time between India’s two largest cities from 24 hours to just 12 hours, has faced persistent obstacles that have slowed its progress, with land acquisition and technical challenges emerging as significant hurdles.
Harsh Mallhotra, the Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways, confirmed the delay, pointing to land acquisition issues as the primary factor. The difficulty in securing land from public stakeholders has hindered the timely completion of several sections of the project, despite some progress being made. A portion of the expressway, specifically the stretch between Sohna in Haryana and Dausa in Rajasthan, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi in February 2023, offering a glimpse of the eventual full route. The 1,386 km Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, once completed, will drastically reduce the travel time between the two cities, providing commuters with a faster and more comfortable journey.
The project, which forms a critical part of the government’s infrastructure vision, promises to significantly improve connectivity and ease road travel across this vital economic corridor. Despite the delays, the ongoing work and the sections already operational give hope for the project’s eventual completion. The expressway is expected to be a game-changer for both goods and passenger transportation, enhancing logistics efficiency and reducing travel time for millions. With the revised completion timeline now set for 2026, authorities continue to work towards resolving the land-related issues and overcoming other challenges that have arisen during the construction phase.
