Modi inaugurates first phase of Delhi-Mumbai Expressway in Rajasthan

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday inaugurated the first phase of the ambitious Delhi-Mumbai Expressway in Dausa, Rajasthan.

The 246-km Delhi-Dausa-Lalsot section of the nearly 1,400-km expressway is set to reduce the travel time from New Delhi to Jaipur from five hours to around three and a half hours.

Modi pressed the button of a remote to mark the opening of the Delhi-Dausa-Lalsot section. “Constructed at a cost of more than ₹12,150 crore, this first completed section of the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway will provide a major boost to the economic development of the entire region,” the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said.

Explainer: All about the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, a section of which will open today

Addressing a public gathering at Dausa’s Dhanawar village, Modi said, “Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas is our mantra for nation, we are making ‘Samarth Bharat’ while following it.” He added that the expressway is “a magnificent picture of developing India”.

The PM said when the government invests in highway projects, ports, railways, optical fibre, and opens medical colleges, it gives strength to traders, small shopkeepers and industries. He said the expressway will benefit the Sariska National Park, Keoladeo National Park, Ranthambore National Park as well as cities such as Jaipur and Ajmer.

Modi launched road development projects worth more than ₹18,100 crore from Dausa. He also laid the foundation stone of 247 km of national highway projects to be developed at a cost of more than ₹5,940 crore.

Also read: Mumbai-Delhi Rajdhani special train to speed up from Jan 9

The Delhi-Mumbai Expressway will be India’s longest with a length of 1,386 km. It will reduce the travel time by 50 per cent, from the current 24 hours to 12 hours, it said. The expressway will pass through Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra and connect major cities like Kota, Indore, Jaipur, Bhopal, Vadodara and Surat.

It will also serve 93 PM Gati Shakti Economic Nodes, 13 ports, eight major airports and eight multi-modal logistics parks (MMLPs) along with spurs to new upcoming greenfield airports such as Jewar Airport, Navi Mumbai Airport and JNPT port.

Union road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari, Union MoS VK Singh, Union minister Gajendra Singh and other leaders were present on the stage at the function. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his Haryana counterpart Manohar Lal khattar addressed the programme through a video link.