Gadkari Sets Two Year Deadline for Full Completion of Delhi-Mumbai Expressway

Kota, July 8: Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday said the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway is expected to be fully completed within the next two years, while also announcing a series of road infrastructure projects for the Kota region that are aimed at improving connectivity and accelerating economic activity in southeastern Rajasthan.

Gadkari made the announcement during a public event in Mandana, Kota, after inspecting sections of the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway and the tunnel near the Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve. He said a substantial portion of the expressway has already been completed and that the remaining construction and improvement work would be taken up on priority.

The minister said nearly 75 to 80 per cent of the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway project, estimated to cost around Rs 1.10 lakh crore, has already been completed. He assured the gathering that the remaining stretch would be finished within two years, paving the way for seamless road travel from the national capital to Mumbai’s Nariman Point and Jawaharlal Nehru Port in roughly 12 hours.

Calling the expressway one of the country’s most ambitious road infrastructure projects, Gadkari said the corridor would significantly reduce travel time, improve freight movement and strengthen industrial and logistics networks between north and west India. He also noted that the concept of improving direct road access through the Kota belt had taken shape during an earlier visit, when it became clear that the region could be linked more efficiently with Delhi through a better aligned road network instead of relying on longer traditional routes.

Alongside the progress update on the expressway, Gadkari announced several new road projects for the Kota region. He said approval has been granted for a 10-km four-lane Mukundara Bypass on the Kota-Jhalawar section of National Highway-52 at an estimated cost of Rs 551 crore. According to him, construction on the bypass is likely to begin within the next three months.

The minister also announced approval for a 21-km four-lane greenfield spur road that will connect Kota to the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway via Alantpura. The project, estimated to cost around Rs 1,000 crore, is expected to strengthen Kota’s access to the national expressway corridor and provide a faster route for passenger as well as commercial traffic. Gadkari said work on this link road is also likely to start within three months.

In another major announcement, he said the Centre is planning an Atal Express Highway connecting Kota to Etawah along the Chambal River at an estimated cost of Rs 15,000 crore. The proposed route was earlier referred to as the Chambal Express Highway, but has now been renamed after former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee because it passes through the Gwalior region associated with him. Gadkari said the Detailed Project Report for the project is currently being prepared and construction will begin once the planning and approval process is completed.

He further stated that work has already begun on the DPR for a road link connecting Bhawani Mandi with the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway. The proposal, he said, was taken up following requests raised by public representatives, and it is expected to improve access for nearby areas to the high-speed corridor.

Highlighting the broader impact of such infrastructure projects, Gadkari described highways as a catalyst for economic transformation. He said improved road networks do much more than cut travel time — they create opportunities for industrial development, logistics hubs, warehousing, agro-based industries, educational institutions and healthcare facilities, especially in regions that have remained underdeveloped for years.

He said the districts through which the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway passes, including tribal and semi-rural areas, stand to benefit from rising investment once connectivity improves. Better transport links, he noted, would lower logistics costs, make land more attractive for industry and create employment opportunities for local youth. In the long term, he added, infrastructure-led development can become a major tool for reducing poverty and narrowing regional disparities.

To underline the role of roads in national development, Gadkari quoted former US President John F. Kennedy, saying roads are not good because a country is rich, but rather a country becomes rich because it has good roads. He said India’s highway expansion is being designed with that same long-term vision, where transport infrastructure acts as the backbone of economic growth.

The minister also used the occasion to highlight the government’s push for environmentally sustainable construction practices. He said nearly 80 lakh tonnes of municipal waste have already been used in road construction, reflecting efforts to turn urban waste into a productive resource. Gadkari added that the ministry is also promoting bio-bitumen made from agricultural residue, while work is underway in the broader clean energy ecosystem to produce aviation fuel from crop stubble.

These initiatives, he said, are examples of how technology and innovation can convert waste into wealth while simultaneously addressing environmental challenges such as stubble burning and solid waste disposal. He has repeatedly advocated the use of alternative materials, green fuels and circular-economy practices in infrastructure development, and Wednesday’s remarks reinforced that message.

Gadkari also praised Rajasthan’s development trajectory under Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma and said the state was witnessing major improvements in roads, irrigation and overall infrastructure. He remarked that Rajasthan’s image has evolved significantly over the years and that investments in connectivity are helping unlock new opportunities across both urban and rural areas.

He assured the state government that the Centre would continue extending full support for highway and transport projects in Rajasthan, particularly those with the potential to improve regional connectivity and generate employment.

The event was attended by Lok Sabha Speaker and Kota-Bundi MP Om Birla, Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma and other public representatives. Before addressing the gathering, Gadkari reviewed the progress of the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway and inspected the Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve tunnel section, which forms part of the broader road infrastructure network in the area.

The Delhi-Mumbai Expressway is among India’s largest expressway projects and is expected to emerge as a crucial transport corridor once completed. Spanning multiple states and connecting major industrial and commercial centres, the project is designed to reduce travel time between Delhi and Mumbai, decongest existing highways and support the movement of goods across some of the country’s busiest economic zones.

With the latest announcements in Kota, the Centre has signalled that the expressway’s benefits are intended to go beyond through-traffic and extend into regional development through feeder roads, bypasses and connecting corridors. For Rajasthan, particularly the Kota division, the proposed projects could reshape mobility, strengthen market access and bring the region closer to the centre of India’s expanding highway network.