Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway: The Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway is expected to improve connectivity between Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, and Delhi by reducing travel times and promoting economic expansion. According to the 2019 Bharatmala Pariyojana, this expressway would improve access to important places and road infrastructure.
The 669-kilometre expressway begins in Bahadurgarh in Haryana, and travels all the way to Katra, Jammu & Kashmir. It includes important Punjab cities including Gurdaspur, Patiala, Sangrur, Maler Kotla, Jalandhar, Kapurthala, and Ludhiana. With 295.51 kilometres going through the state, it makes up about half of the complete length of the expressway.
The substantial reduction in travel time is one of the project's main advantages, according to NHAI regional officer Vipnesh Sharma. He mentioned that the existing 14-hour route from Delhi to Katra, which covers 727 kilometres, will be cut to 588 kilometres, resulting in a six-hour travel time. According to The Print, the eight-hour journey from Delhi to Amritsar will now just take four hours.
There are two phases to the project's development. The 397-kilometre Delhi-Nakodar-Gurdaspur segment is covered by Phase 1, which also includes a 99-kilometre greenfield spur that connects Nakodar and Amritsar. The Gurdaspur-Pathankot-Jammu-Katra sector, which focuses on improving current highways, is included in Phase 2.
Of the 135-kilometre span, 120 kilometres are being constructed in Jammu and Kashmir, while 137 kilometres of the corridor are now under construction in Haryana. However, in Punjab, 296 kilometres of the 399-kilometre long line have been delayed because of compensation agreements and land acquisition conflicts.