9km stretch of DND-Mumbai eway link opens: All you need to know

A 9-km stretch of the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway between DND Flyway and Jaitpur has been opened on a trial basis by NHAI. The opening is expected to provide relief to commuters travelling between Ashram, Kalindi Kunj and Faridabad, while strengthening Delhi’s direct connection with the country’s longest access-controlled expressway.

The newly opened section stretches for 9 km, with nearly 8.5 km of it elevated. The trial opening allows motorists to use the corridor before its formal commissioning, while NHAI monitors its performance and identifies any issues that need to be addressed. (AI-generated image used for representational purposes)

The new link allows motorists from east and south Delhi, Noida and Ghaziabad to access the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway more seamlessly. From the expressway, commuters can travel towards destinations including Jaipur and Sawai Madhopur, while the Jaitpur-KMP interchange section is already operational. (Photo credit: PTI)

The DND-Jaitpur opening completes Delhi’s connection to the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway. Officials said 50 km of the 59-km Delhi link, running from DND Flyway to the junction with the KMP Expressway, had already been opened in phases before this stretch became operational.

The stretch has been opened without toll charges as part of the trial phase. Officials said trial runs are conducted only after construction and safety audits are completed, allowing NHAI to identify and rectify deficiencies before the road is formally commissioned. (AI-generated image used for representational purposes)

The new expressway link is expected to divert some traffic heading towards Faridabad, Ballabhgarh and Sohna from congested Ring Road and Mathura Road. A regular commuter cited in the report said the DND Flyway-Faridabad journey could take around 20 minutes, compared with more than 30 minutes currently required between Ashram and the Badarpur border.

The Delhi-Mumbai Expressway was originally planned from Sohna to JNPT near Mumbai. In August 2018, NHAI proposed extending the alignment to DND Flyway so that the corridor could begin directly from Delhi, creating a more integrated connection between the capital and the expressway.

At a recent review meeting chaired by Union road transport minister Nitin Gadkari, NHAI officials said the expressway is likely to become fully operational up to Vadodara by December. The development is expected to enable uninterrupted high-speed travel over a much longer section of the Delhi-Mumbai corridor. (Image enhanced with AI)

The Centre is also developing a direct connection between the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway and Noida International Airport. The Union Cabinet approved a modified alignment in March, including an 11-km elevated stretch between Faridabad and the airport at a revised estimated cost of Rs 3,631 crore.

The DND-Jaitpur opening is part of a larger effort to improve high-speed connectivity around Delhi and its neighbouring regions. With the Delhi link progressing, the Vadodara target and a planned airport connection, the expressway network is set to provide more direct routes for commuters and long-distance traffic.