NEW DELHI: The Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi, inaugurated the first section of a 1,386-kilometer expressway, linking New Delhi to the financial hub, Mumbai. The Prime Minister marked the opening of the Delhi-Dausa-Lalsot section and laid the foundation stone of road projects worth more than ₹18,100 crore.
The 246-kilometer-long Delhi-Dausa-Lalsot section has been developed at a cost of more than ₹12,150 crore. This route will reduce the distance from Delhi to Jaipur which could be covered in three and a half hours.
Once complete, this Delhi-Mumbai Expressway will be the longest in the country, thus reducing the travel time between the two cities by 12 hours- cutting the journey time by half.
The Expressway will pass through Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Maharashtra and will also connect major cities like Indore, Kota, Jaipur, Vadodara, and Surat. It will also serve 93 Pradhan Mantri Gati Shakti Economic Nodes, 13 ports, eight airports, and eight multi-modal logistics parks (MMLPs). This also includes upcoming greenfield airports such as Jewar airport, Navi Mumbai airport, and Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust.
In his address, PM Modi stated, “When such modern roads, railway stations, metro, and airports are built, the country’s progress gains momentum. For the last nine years, the central government is continuously making huge investments in infrastructure. The Delhi-Mumbai Expressway and the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor are going to become two strong pillars of progress for Rajasthan and the country.”