Delhi-Dehradun expressway to be completed by December: Gadkari

The Delhi-Dehradun Expressway, also known as NH 72A, will start from east Delhi’s Akshardham and pass through Baghpat, Shamli, and Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh.

Union road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday inspected a section of the Delhi Dehradun Greenfield Expressway, from Akshardham to Baghpat, and said that once the project is complete in December this year, the distance between Delhi and Dehradun will be covered in 2-2.5 hours.

Union minister Nitin Gadkari conducts an aerial survey of the 212-km 6-lane Delhi-Dehradun Greenfield Access Controlled Expressway. (PTI)

Gadkari, who spoke to the media at Baghpat in Uttar Pradesh, said the expressway will reduce the distance between the two cities from 235km to 212km.

The Delhi-Dehradun Expressway, also known as NH 72A, will start from east Delhi’s Akshardham and pass through Baghpat, Shamli, and Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh. It is being constructed at a cost of ₹12,000 crore to match international standards, Gadkari said.

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At present, it takes between five to six hours from Delhi to reach Dehradun. “Special measures have been taken to protect the wildlife while building this corridor. A 12km-long elevated corridor from Ganeshpur to Dehradun is being constructed, which will have six underpasses for wild animals, two underpasses for elephants, two large bridges, and 13 small bridges. For the comfort of commuters, 12 wayside amenities are also being built on this road,” he said.

Gadkari said that in the first phase, from Akshardham to the Eastern Peripheral Expressway crossing, which is 31.6km-long, the road has been elevated for about 18km as it passes through populated areas. “This section has been designed for six lanes on the main carriageway along with six service lanes. It will have three elevated sections, and four overbridges to ensure ease of travel. The expressway will give a major boost to the economic development along the Delhi-Dehradun-Saharanpur corridor and will boost tourism activities in Uttarakhand,” Gadkari added.