The Delhi-Dehradun Expressway, also known as the Delhi-Dehradun Economic Corridor, will be fully operational from today. The expressway will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He will visit UP’s Saharanpur to review the wildlife corridor in the upland portion of the corridor. Before performing puja at Jai Ma Dat Kali Temple near Dehradun.
Take a look at the key features of the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway below:
1. Travel time between Delhi and Dehradun has decreased sharply
The Delhi-Dehradun Expressway, which passes through Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, will significantly reduce travel time between the two cities, from more than six hours currently to about two and a half hours.
2. $11,868.6 crore mega infrastructure project
The project was launched in February 2021, with Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari laying the foundation stone. Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid another foundation stone in December the same year. The highway was built at a total cost of $11,868.6 crore and was originally scheduled to be completed by December 2024.
Read also | Delhi to Dehradun in 2.5 hours: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates the expressway
3. The first extension actually works
The 32 km stretch, from Delhi (Akshardham, Geeta Colony, Shastri Park) via Mandola Vihar in Ghaziabad to Khakra in Baghpat, was completed by mid-2025 and opened to the public in December 2025.
4. Seamless connectivity to major highways
The highway includes more than 100 tunnels and five railway bridges. It will connect to major corridors such as the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, the Eastern Peripheral Expressway, and the roads leading to Haridwar and Roorkee.
5. Strong focus on wildlife protection
A major highlight is the 12-kilometre elevated wildlife corridor through Rajaji National Park, designed to ensure safe movement of animals. It includes six animal tunnels, eight animal corridors, two 200-metre-long elephant corridors, and a 370-metre-long tunnel near the Dat Kali Temple.
6. Four-stage construction plan
The highway was developed in four phases. The first phase covers a distance of 32 km and 12 lanes from Akshardham Temple in Delhi to the Eastern Peripheral Expressway near Baghpat. The second phase extends 118 km from EPE to Saharanpur Bypass, comprising six lanes, seven interchanges and 60 tunnels. The third phase extends over a distance of 40 km from the Saharanpur Bypass to Ganeshpur road with six lanes. The fourth phase connects Ganeshpur to Dehradun over a distance of over 20 km, consists of 4-6 lanes and includes two twin tunnels as well as elevated sections designed for wildlife movement.
7. Equipped with advanced traffic systems
The corridor is equipped with an Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS) to enhance safety and improve traffic efficiency, according to a Traffic Management Bureau news release.
(with PTI inputs)
