Delhi-Mumbai Expressway completion to be further delayed by 2 more years due to slow progress in Gujarat

The Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, a major infrastructure project, faces further delays and is now expected to be delayed by two more years, only to be finished in 2027. Construction slowdowns on several sections, primarily in Gujarat, are responsible for pushing back the completion date. Three sections covering 87 km in the state have faced setbacks, with one 35-km stretch showing no physical progress and the other two reaching only 7% and 35% completion, a TOI report stated.

The expressway, initially scheduled for completion in March 2024, has seen its deadline extended to October 2025, but further delays suggest the project may not be fully operational until 2027. The expressway project, estimated at Rs 1 lakh crore, was broken down into smaller contracts for simultaneous construction. Different sections were bid out at varying times.

Government Push to Expedite Construction

Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari reviewed the progress of the Rs 1 lakh crore project on Tuesday, directing officials to speed up the construction process. The expressway passes through Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Maharashtra and is expected to cut travel time between Delhi and Mumbai to 12 hours upon completion.

Expected Completion Timeline

While the Haryana section has been completed, all sections in Rajasthan are expected to be ready for traffic by March-April 2026. "With this, one can travel from Delhi to Vadodara nonstop using the expressway by March next year. All agencies concerned are putting their best effort to expedite delayed works in Gujarat," an official said.

In Maharashtra, all packages of the expressway are likely to be completed by the end of this year, except for a 21-km link to Jawaharlal Nehru Port. The government continues to push for faster execution, but challenges in certain sections indicate a longer wait before the expressway is fully operational.