DELHI-MUMBAI EXPRESSWAY will have 12 lanes in future with a speed limit of 120 km /hr
ATANU DAS , Sr. Journalist , EX-PTI New Delhi , 16 February, 1350 km Delhi – Mumbai Expressway (DME) project (NH-148N / NE-4) is an under construction 8 lane access-controlled road with a route connecting DND in Delhi with JNPT in Mumbai. It has been designed with a speed limit of 120 km/hr and provision to expand to 12 lanes in the future.
This new greenfield expressway was approved for construction under the Bharatmala Pariyojana programme in 2017, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid its foundation stone on March 9, 2019.
Delhi Mumbai Expressway’s Sohna-Dausa section already has been inaugurated and opened by PM Narendra Modi on February 12, 2023.
Total Estimated Cost: Rs. 1,00,000 crore (1 lakh crore)
Project’s Total Length: 1350 km
Lanes: 8 (expandable to 12)
Speed Limit: 120 kmph
Scheduled Opening: February 12, 2023
NHAI’s Deadline: December 2024
My Completion Estimate: December 2026
Owner: National Highway Authority of India (NHAI)
Delhi – Vadodara Project Model: EPC (Engineering, Procurement & Construction)
Vadodara – Mumbai Project Model: HAM (Hybrid Annuity Model)
Status: Under Construction, Bidding & Land Acquisition
The entire expressway has been divided into 4 sections with a total of 52 tenders / packages. Each has a 24 month (2 year deadline).
DND – Faridabad – Ballabhgarh – Sohna: 3 (59 km)
Sohna – Vadodara: 31 (844 km)
Vadodara – Virar: 13 (354 km)
Virar – JNPT: 5 (92 km)
Spurs
The expressway will in the future feature several spurs to improve connectivity. Few of them are:
67 km 4 lane Jaipur Spur from Bandikui (chainage 168.550). Status: Land acquisition started in April 2021. GR Infraprojects received LOA for its construction in March 2022.
30 km 6 lane connectivity to Noida’s Jewar International Airport from DND-Faridabad-Ballabhagh Bypass KMP Link Spur. Status: APCO Infratech is lowest bidder
130 km 4 lane Ujjain Spur connecting Garoth – Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh. Status: 3 contracts awarded in February 2022 to GHV India (Package 1), Ravi Infrabuild Projects (Package 2) and MKC Infrastructures (Package 3)
Project Overview & Route
The expressway with closed tolling will connect 5 states of Haryana (80 km), Rajasthan (380 km), Madhya Pradesh (370 km), Gujarat (300 km) and Maharashtra (120 km). New industrial townships and Smart Cities have been planned along its route. 92 way side amenities have been planned on either side at an interval of roughly 50 km.
