Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the 213-kilometre Delhi–Dehradun Economic Corridor, developed at a cost of ₹12,000 crore, on Tuesday. The high-speed, access-controlled expressway is expected to reduce travel time between Delhi and Uttarakhand by nearly half and provide faster, safer, and smoother connectivity.
The six-lane corridor connects the national capital Delhi with Uttarakhand’s capital Dehradun and is designed to facilitate improved mobility and support regional economic activity. Once operational, the expressway will significantly reduce travel time, which currently exceeds six hours depending on traffic and road conditions, to approximately 2.5 hours.
The corridor is fully access-controlled, with limited entry and exit points to ensure uninterrupted and efficient traffic movement. The project is also expected to enhance logistics and freight transport efficiency.
The expressway includes 10 major interchanges, three railway overbridges, four major bridges, 12 wayside amenities, and an Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS) for monitoring and managing traffic flow.
The project incorporates environmental considerations, particularly in areas near Rajaji National Park and surrounding wildlife zones. It features a 12-kilometre elevated wildlife corridor, eight animal passages, two 200-metre underpasses for elephants, and a tunnel of approximately 370 metres to facilitate uninterrupted wildlife movement.
During the inauguration programme, the Prime Minister will inspect various sections of the project, including the elevated wildlife corridor in the Saharanpur region of Uttar Pradesh. He will also offer पूजा at the Maa Daat Kali Temple near Dehradun before formally inaugurating the corridor at a public event.
The Delhi–Dehradun Expressway is expected to strengthen tourism and trade connectivity between Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.
