CHANDIGARH: The Delhi-Mumbai Expressway is nearing full completion, with the 4.9-kilometre-long tunnel near Kota in Rajasthan expected to open after June 20.
Regarded as the country's first eight-lane road tunnel passing beneath the ecologically sensitive Mukundara Hills Tiger Reserve, the tunnel is a key component of the 1,386-kilometre-long Delhi-Mumbai Expressway being built at a cost of Rs 95,000 crore.
Once fully operational, the Delhi-Mumbai journey is expected to take about 12 hours by road, compared with more than 24 hours at present.
Besides reducing travel time, the expressway is expected to lower logistics costs and improve connectivity across Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra.
The tunnel will allow traffic to move along the expressway without disturbing wildlife while bypassing a longer, winding route. The Kota section had been one of the last major gaps preventing seamless travel along the corridor.
It has taken nearly four and a half years to complete the tunnel because of the ecological sensitivity of the tiger reserve.
Sources said AI-enabled cameras with night vision will monitor vehicle movement inside the tunnel. Controlled air circulation will be maintained through jet fans, and an FM radio licence has been secured to communicate directly with drivers during emergencies.
Sources said that once completed, the expressway is expected to significantly strengthen road connectivity between north and west India, benefiting road users, transporters and businesses alike. It is also expected to boost economic activity in cities such as Kota, Ratlam and Bharuch.
The Gurugram-Dausa stretch has already been opened to traffic, and most sections between Dausa in Rajasthan and Vadodara in Gujarat are either operational or nearing completion. Meanwhile, the Godhra-Vadodara section in Gujarat was opened for trial runs in April this year.
The access-controlled expressway has been designed for speeds of up to 120 kilometres per hour, subject to notified limits and traffic conditions. With no traffic signals or grade crossings, it is expected to reduce travel time and ensure smoother travel. The road's 21-metre-wide median also allows for future expansion from eight to 12 lanes if required.
The expressway starts near Sohna in Gurugram, Haryana, and passes through six states before terminating near Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
The corridor also includes a section in Delhi. In Haryana, the expressway stretches for 129 kilometres; in Rajasthan, 373 kilometres through Alwar, Dausa and Kota; in Madhya Pradesh, around 244 kilometres from Mandsaur to Ratlam; and in Gujarat, around 426 kilometres through Vadodara, Bharuch and Surat. It then enters Maharashtra and finishes in Mumbai, covering a total distance of 1,386 kilometres.