India boasts a comprehensive network of expressways, stretching for an impressive 5,930 kilometers, with an additional 11,700 kilometers in the pipeline to greatly improve the quality of long-haul vehicle travel. Among these projects, there are twelve National Expressways, which stand out due to their inclusion of the renowned Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, and a series of 32 State Expressways, both operational and in progress. Uttar Pradesh emerges as leading the pack with six expressways currently in service and seven more underway, securing it the distinction of having the most expressways with a total of thirteen.
Expressways in India are considered superior to regular highways, providing regulated access at their entrances to prevent accidents and minimize disruptions to the flow of traffic.
This article aims to provide readers with insights into the ten most significant expressways in India, highlighting their importance.
Delhi Mumbai Expressway
The Delhi Mumbai Expressway, spanning 577 kilometers, stands as a significant achievement in India's road network, designed to shorten the travel time between the capital of India, Delhi, and its financial hub, Mumbai, from 24 hours to just 12. The cornerstone of this expressway was ceremoniously laid in 2019 by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, with the vision of transforming the road infrastructure that connects these two key cities. Delhi, as the political and administrative heart of the nation, and Mumbai, known for its financial importance, were chosen as the focus cities for this project.
Constructed to the highest standards, the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway is set to debut soon, with the final stretch of the road under construction. This expressway will be the nation's longest, providing essential facilities along its route to enhance comfort for travelers, including amenities such as rest areas, dining options, and retail services. It will navigate through Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Maharashtra states, covering the total distance of 1,450 kilometers. The expressway is designed to accommodate 8 lanes from the start and has the capacity to expand to 12 lanes in the future.
Purvanchal Expressway
Purvanchal Expressway starts from the Gosaiganj near Lucknow and ends near Muhammadabad in Ghazipur, terminating its road infrastructure magnificence of 340 km. In Gosaiganj, this expressway quits into NH731 and in Ghazipur, the journey on the Purvanchal Expressway ends on NH31. It is an entirely functioning and one of the fastest expressways in India, furnishing speedy and secure vehicular movement to the capital city Lucknow of India's most populated state from its low-key districts such as Sultanpur, Azamgarh, Ghazipur, Mau and Balia.
The construction of the Purvanchal Expressway was initiated in 2018 and was concluded in November 2021. It is the longest expressway in Uttar Pradesh that is active. The six-lane access-controlled motorway can be extended to 8 lanes in future and is materialised and preserved by the Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA). Its foundation stone was laid down in 2015 state's former CM Mr Akhilesh Yadav, and, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi upon its culmination in 2021.
Yamuna Expressway
The Yamuna Expressway, launched in 2012 by UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, significantly cut travel time from Greater Noida to Agra by 65%, linking various districts in Western Uttar Pradesh to Delhi and the National Capital Region. Operated by YEIDA, this expressway stretches 165.567 km, worth more than Rs 22,000 crores, and sees over 100,000 vehicles daily, reducing congestion on NH2 or Mathura Road.
Looking ahead, the six-lane Yamuna Expressway could potentially be widened to eight lanes, enhancing connectivity between cities like Noida, Jewar, Vrindavan, Hathras, Mathura, and Agra.
In India, the Yamuna Expressway ranks sixth in terms of length among expressways, boasting 31 service roads for safe and secure access to key locations along its route.
In 2015, a Dassault Mirage 2000 made an emergency landing on the Yamuna Expressway to test its suitability for fighter jets to land on highways.
Delhi Meerut Expressway
Delhi Meerut Expressway is one of the most busiest and is officially the widest expressway in India, having 14 lanes stretching up to Dasna. The need for the Delhi Meerut Expressway was first mentioned in 1999 in the parliament and was proposed officially in 2005. Delhi Meerut expressway in India was completed in 2021 with the inauguration of the Dasna to Meerut Package and it was built by the central government.
The total estimated cost of building this 96km road infrastructure project was between Rs 8,000 to 10,000 crores, divided into four packages.
Mumbai Pune Expressway
The Mumbai-Pune expressway sees an average of 50,000 vehicles every day and stands as one of the busiest expressways in the country. Completed in 2001, this 94-kilometer road is not just a route but a picturesque journey, enhancing the drive with its stunning views between the major cities in Maharashtra, Mumbai and Pune.
Pune is known for its rich culture, while Mumbai is recognized as India's financial hub. Therefore, the expressway plays a crucial role in connecting these two major economic powerhouses, allowing for speeds up to 100km an hour.
The expressway is celebrated for its natural beauty, navigating through hills and passing through cities like Panvel, Khandala, Lonavala, Talegaon, among others. It is the responsibility of the MSRDC (Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation) for its upkeep.
Eastern Peripheral Expressway ~ 84mi
Eastern Peripheral Expressway is built to ease the traffic on the Ghaziabad-Faridabad stretch and reduce the entry of over 50,000 trucks reducing the heavy vehicular pollution significantly in the national capital. In length, the Eastern Peripheral or KGP (Kundli-Ghaziabad-Palwal) expressway is 135 kilometres and is connected to the Western Peripheral Expressway on both sides, forming a ring road around the Delhi Metro City to ease the congestion by vehicles that are meant to skip the Delhi City and other major hotspots such as Gurgaon, Noida and Faridabad.
The EPE road infrastructure project’s foundation was laid down by the prime minister of India Narendra Modi in 2015 and was estimated to be built at around 11,000 crores in Indian Rupees. In 2018, the 135 km Expressway in India was inaugurated and it is lashed with several state-of-the-art security and safety features such as electronic & closed tolling systems, weigh-in-motion sensors, cameras to check vehicles' speed, 4,000 kilowatts solar capacity plants, lakhs of trees plantation etc.
Western Peripheral Expressway
WPE Expressway stands as one of the leading expressways in the country, featuring six lanes and extending a total distance of 136 km. This highly anticipated transportation project was officially opened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The construction of this western edge expressway, also referred to as the KMP (Kundli-Manesar-Palwal) expressway, links Kundli in Sonipat to Palwal. The expressway traverses through Sonipat, Jhajjar, Manesar, Sohna, and Palwal.
Additionally, there are plans for a Delhi Metro line to run along its path, as part of the DMRC phase V expansion.
The entire expressway became accessible to the public in 2018, following the completion of its sections in the same year. This controlled access peripheral expressway ranks among the top ten in the country and is a component of the Delhi Rig Road initiative, designed to alleviate Delhi and its surrounding areas from excessive traffic and reduce the heavy carbon emissions that contribute to the air quality issues in the Delhi NCR area.
Ahmedabad Vadodara Expressway
Ahmedabad Vadodara Expressway is a 94 km long road infrastructure, also known as Mahatma Gandhi Road, and connects the two biggest cities in the Gujarat state, Ahmedabad and Vadodara, helping business activities. This expressway was opened for public use in 2002 and is an access-controlled expressway. Although the expressway has only 2 lanes on each of the sides, the construction work to extend it to 6 lanes has been going on for several years.
It is maintained by NHAI and was built at an estimated cost of 475 crores in 2002. Two-wheeler entry is banned on this expressway to prevent unwarranted road accidents. Among the top Expressways in India the Ahmedabad Vadodara Expressway goes through Nadiad and Anand cities along the route.
Bundelkhand Expressway
The Bundelkhand Expressway, measuring 296 kilometers in length, is a road structure designed to be accessed by only authorized vehicles, officially opened in 2022 by the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. This expressway, which began its construction in 2017, aims to improve and expedite transportation in the north-to-south areas of India's most densely populated state.
The road connects several regions in the following districts: Etawah, Jalaun, Hamiprur, Mahoba, Banda, and Chitrakoot. The completion of this expressway, standing as one of India's longest, received significant attention, highlighting its importance and achievements.
The task of maintaining the Bundelkhand Expressway falls under the purview of UPEIDA, with an investment cost that exceeds Rs 14,000 crores, marking it as a highly ambitious state project.
Mumbai Nagpur Expressway ~ 436 mi
Mumbai Nagpur Expressway is an under-construction project in Maharashtra state and is to be maintained by MDRDC. This 6-lane expressway can be expanded to 8 lanes in future and is access-controlled for safe and secure vehicle movements. It in total covers 10 districts of Maharashtra: Nagpur, Wardha, Amravati, Washim, Budhana, Jalna, Chattrapati Sambhaji Nagar, Ahmednagar, Nashik and Thane.
This is one of the top 10 expressways in India and also one of the longest as well, having a length of 701 km in total, offering high-speed driving experience on its access-controlled 6-lane roads.
The aforementioned districts that the Mumbai Nagpur Expressway, officially known as Hindu Hridaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Sammrusddhi Road, covers will benefit from the elevation of business activities.
