Top 5 Upcoming Expressways in India

Expressways are largely responsible for the noteworthy change of India’s road network. In addition to improving connection, the expressways are improving the comfort of long-distance driving. India possesses the third-largest road network globally as per research.

An expressway is mainly a high-speed road that has been specifically constructed for rapid travel between different locations. Expressways are different from highways as these have limited entry and exit points. Also, it features higher safety standards for the vehicles running across it. Expressways of India are contributing to economic growth, boosting tourism and overall development. So, the government is planning to complete a few major expressway projects. Let’s read about the top upcoming expressways in India:

Delhi-Mumbai Expressway- One of the longest expressways in India

Delhi-Mumbai Expressway is one of the most esteemed projects that comes under the Bharatmala Pariyojana. This expressway will mainly cover four states which are- Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh.

Usually, it takes around 24 hours to travel between Delhi to Mumbai. But, the completion of this project will reduce the travel time from the current 24 hours to 12 hours. This expressway will connect other expressways also such as the Delhi–Noida Direct Flyway and Mumbai–Nagpur Expressway. Some major highlights of this expressway are:

• It is an eight-lane wide expressway
• Cost of project- Rs 1 trillion
• 1,380 km long expressway
• First expressway in India to have helipads

Ganga Expressway

If we are talking about the upcoming expressways in India, we must talk about the Ganga Expressway. It is a six-way lane highway project that will make the travel time efficient between Meerut and Prayagraj. This expressway will connect towns and cities of the western part of Uttar Pradesh to the eastern part. Most probably, this project will be completed by the end of 2024. Its main highlights are:

• 602 km long expressway
• Six-lane expressway which is expandable to eight-lane
• Will have a maximum permissible speed limit of 120 km per hour.
• The travel time from Delhi to Prayagraj will be reduced to six hours from 10 to 11 hours
• Managed by Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority
• Estimated cost of project Rs 36,000 crore

Dwarka Expressway

It is the first urban expressway of the Indian national highway system that will connect Delhi Mahipalpur to Haryana, Kherki Dhaula toll plaza. This expressway will be constructed with eight lanes with flyovers, rail overbridges, and underground pedestrian crossings.
DMRC has also proposed a metro route along the expressway but it is under approval by the government. Also, Dwarka expressway will pass through some of the major residential localities which will increase the real estate property demands.

• Also known as Northern Peripheral Road
• Managed by NHAI and will have a 2.5m wide cycle/bike path.
• Will also provide an alternate route for commuters to reach the Indira Gandhi International Airport
• Expected to open by March 2024

Bangalore-Chennai Expressway

This upcoming expressway is going to be one of the biggest expressway projects in southern India. It will cover two main capital cities of South India- Bangalore and Chennai. Its construction work is 15% completed. It is a 4-way lane expressway that will reduce the distance and time of travel between these two cities.
This expressway connects various national highways in India which will start from Hoskote near Bangalore and end at Sriperumbudur near Chennai. Major pointers of this expressway are:

• It will reduce the 326 km to approximately 262 km
• Length of the expressway- 268 km
• This expressway will allow vehicles to move at 120 km per hour
• It will be managed by NHAI

Mumbai Nagpur Expressway

Mumbai Nagpur Expressway which is also known as Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg is an elevated expressway. It will connect the major cities of Maharashtra- Nagpur, Kalyan, Jalna, Nashik, and Aurangabad. This project is managed by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC). This 6-way lane expressway can be expanded to 8 8-way lanes depending on its traffic volume. With this, vehicles will be able to reduce the travel time between Mumbai and Expressway.

• Phase-1 will connect Nagpur to Shirdi
• Cost of the expressway project is Rs 55000 crore
• The length of the expressway project is 701 km

Conclusion

All these upcoming expressways in India are surely going to boost the road infrastructure of India. The completion of these elevated expressway projects will help connect major cities, and boost the economy. Additionally, the construction of expressways reduces the overall traveling time which leads to rapid movement of people as well as goods.