Delhi-Mumbai expressway: First phase to be completed by December 2022, says Nitin Gadkari

Delhi-Mumbai expressway: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari reveals the first phase connecting Delhi-JNPT (Mumbai) will be completed by December 2022, reports ANI.

Image for representation

Union Road and Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari shared some good news today as he stated that the first phase of the Delhi-Mumbai expressway will be completed this year itself. The first phase of the Delhi-Mumbai expressway connects the national capital to JNPT in Mumbai. Soon, commuters will be able to cover the distance between Delhi and Mumbai within 12 hours. While speaking about the status of the Delhi-Mumbai Express Highway, Nitin Gadkari stated that he plans to connect Nariman Point to Delhi making it a 12-hour journey. The Delhi-Mumbai Expressway is one of the most significant projects undertaken in recent years by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MORTH). The 1380 km long Delhi Mumbai expressway, will be India's longest expressway. 

Speaking about the achievements of the Road and Transport Ministry, the Union Minister said: "I was pained to know that around one crore people in the country were driving cycle-rickshaws." He added that 80 lakh people among them are driving E-rickshaws today.

He also shared details of similar projects undertaken in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh. Also, reiterating the significance of green fuels, the Minister said that the Road Transport Ministry has been working on the diversification of agriculture towards the energy and power sector since the year 2000. "We are making green fuels like ethanol from sugar cane which is cost-effective, pollution free, and indigenous and hence helps in reducing import of fuels."

Here's all you need to know about the Delhi-Mumbai expressway

Delhi-Mumbai Expressway route

This expressway will cost 98,000 crores to build and will improve connectivity between the National Capital of Delhi and the Financial Capital of Mumbai. The expressway will connect urban centers in Delhi via the Delhi-Faridabad-Sohna section of the corridor, as well as a spur to Jewar Airport and Jawaharlal Nehru Port, to Mumbai via a spur in Mumbai.

Delhi-Mumbai Expressway features

In addition, the road transport ministry is planning to build an electric highway between Delhi and Mumbai at a cost of 2.5 lakh crore. Trolleybuses and trolley trucks will be able to operate on these highways, according to the ministry. Trolley buses are electric buses that are powered by overhead wires, whereas an electric highway is a road that provides power to vehicles travelling on it, including via overhead power lines.

(With inputs from agencies)