Delhi-Dehradun expressway approved. Travel time 3 hours, minimum speed 100 kmph

Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari announced on Thursday that his ministry has approved a new Delhi-Dehradun expressway worth ₹13,000 crore. As per the minister, the expressway would have 10 elevated roads and it will also reduce the travel time between the two cities to just 3-3.15 hours. The expressway will stretch around 210 km when completed.

In the Budget 2021, the Centre allocated ₹1.18 lakh crore for the highways sector. Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman also mentioned that the completion of flagship highway corridors and projects would be in the fast lane. The union finance minister said during her budget speech on February 1, “I am... providing an enhanced outlay of ₹1,18,101 lakh crore for the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, of which ₹1,08,230 crore is for capital, the highest ever,"

Here are the key highlights of the upcoming Delhi-Dehradun expressway:

• The expressway will have a minimum driving speed of 100 kmph.
• It will reduce the current distance between the cities from 235 km to 210 km. Also, the travel time will significantly decrease from 6.5 hours to 3 hours.
• It will be the first expressway in India to have a 12 km long elevated corridor for protecting wildlife.
• Wayside amenities will be placed every 25-30 km for maximum convenience and better experience for the commuters.
• It is going to feature a closed toll mechanism to enable pay toll only to the extent of highway used.
• It is expected to improve the economy of the region and boost tourism in Uttarakhand.