Delhi-Dehradun Expressway To Be Ready By October, Gadkari Tells Rajya Sabha

Last Updated:July 23, 2025, 18:04 IST

A total of 17,913 trees have been felled/transplanted for the project, he said, adding that compensatory afforestation is being carried out

The 212-km-long Delhi-Dehradun Expressway includes an 18-km elevated section from Akshardham to the Loni border. (File pic/News18 Hindi)

The Dehradun-Delhi Access Controlled Expressway has led to the loss of 17,913 trees that were either felled or transplanted, the ministry of road transport and highways (MoRTH) informed the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. The House was also told that the expressway is expected to be ready by October 2025.

The entire Delhi-Dehradun expressway will reduce the travel time between the two cities from 5-6 hours to just 2-2.5 hours. It will start from Akshardham in east Delhi and pass through Baghpat, Shamli, Muzaffarnagar, and Saharanpur.

Uttarakhand MP Naresh Bansal had asked the ministry about the project.

In his reply, union minister Nitin Gadkari said that the access-controlled highway, built with Rs 11,868.6 crore, is targeted for completion by October 2025.

“For the execution of the project, a total of 17,913 trees have been felled/transplanted. As an environmental mitigation measure, compensatory afforestation in a total of 157.2 hectares of land with a cost of Rs 22.05 crore is being carried out by the respective Forest Departments," Gadkari said.

In addition to that, the avenue plantation of 50,600 trees has also been taken up by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) within the right-of-way of the highway, he said.

An additional Rs 40 crore has been allocated for eco-restoration to the Shivalik and Dehradun forest divisions in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, respectively, Gadkari said.

Gadkari assured that adequate landslide mitigation measures have been taken up at potential landslide locations as per the Indian Road Congress (IRC) codal provisions.

Last month, News18 reported that the NHAI had launched an initiative to plant approximately 40,000 trees along the Delhi-Dehradun corridor.

The expressway promises to significantly cut travel time and ease congestion. Apart from easing the journey from the national capital to Dehradun, the expressway will also help in reducing congestion in parts of east Delhi. The entire corridor is designed for driving at a minimum speed of 100 km/hr.

Originally slated for completion by March 2024, the project faced delays. A partial inauguration was planned around the New Year, but it was postponed. Now, the full stretch will be inaugurated in one go.

Nivedita Singh

Nivedita Singh is a data journalist and covers the Election Commission, Indian Railways and Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. She has nearly seven years of experience in the news media. She tweets @nived...Read More

Nivedita Singh is a data journalist and covers the Election Commission, Indian Railways and Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. She has nearly seven years of experience in the news media. She tweets @nived...

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