- By Chetna Shree
- Thu, 06 Nov 2025 05:21 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Delhi-Dehradun Expressway: The 210-km Delhi-Dehradun Expressway, set to cut travel time between the two cities from six hours to three hours, is now expected to be open by February 2026, after repeated delays pushed back the previous October 2025 target, a senior official said.
The Delhi-Dehradun Expressway, which is being built at an estimated cost of Rs 11,868.6 crore, was originally planned for completion in December 2024. A July Rajya Sabha reply indicated an October 2025 opening, but construction work is still ongoing. The revised February 2026 target follows a directive from the Prime Minister’s Office for the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways to inaugurate the expressway only after all phases of construction are completed, Hindustan Times reported.
ALSO READ: Dev Diwali 2025: When Varanasi Becomes Heaven On Earth
Work Advances Across All Four Phases Of Delhi Dehradun Expressway
- Phase 1 (Delhi to Khekra, Baghpat): Ready for over six months, covering Akshardham, Geeta Colony, Shastri Park, Mandola Vihar, and Khekra. Commuters used it during flooding on September 8 to bypass traffic.
- Phase (Baghpat to Saharanpur): Majority of the stretch is complete, with finishing work ongoing on some sections.
- Phase 3 (Saharanpur Bypass to Ganeshpur): Widening of the existing brownfield section is in advanced stages of construction.
- Phase 4 (Near Dehradun): Safety and finishing work are underway on the elevated section near Dehradun.
Speaking to Hindustan Times, an NHAI official said that precautionary measures were implemented during the monsoon season due to flooding in the seasonal river. ”The remaining work-including protection near Dehradun’s Daat Kali temple, installation of mobile towers, and finishing touches in the tunnel-is expected to be completed by November,” HT quoted an NHAI official as saying.
A key highlight of the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway is its 12-km elevated corridor through Rajaji National Park, the longest in Asia, with six animal underpasses. It also features 100 underpasses, five railway overbridges, and will connect to the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, the Eastern Peripheral Expressway, and major routes to Haridwar and Roorkee.