Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Thursday said that work on the ambitious Delhi-Mumbai Expressway is nearing completion and will significantly reduce India’s logistics costs. Gadkari, who was in Surat to review ongoing works on the expressway and assess the condition of National Highways 53 and 48, highlighted that the project will transform connectivity, tourism and export competitiveness.
“We have seen the quality of roads and found it excellent, built using the latest technology. Some issues are being rectified. Our ministry has set seven world records in the development of highways, including the Vadodara section,” he said. The minister added that efforts are underway to make travel more comfortable through consistent quality checks, plantation of trees along the corridor and improved public amenities.
Calling it India’s longest highway, Gadkari noted that the 1,350-km Delhi-Mumbai Expressway will reduce travel time between the two metros to nearly 12 hours. “This historic highway is among the longest in the world. Earlier, there were challenges like land acquisition and environmental clearances, but now all issues have been resolved, and the project will be completed soon,” he added.
Gadkari also underlined the government’s push to bring down logistics costs to single digits by promoting electric buses and trucks on the expressway. “Currently, India’s logistics cost is 16%, whereas China stands at 8% and Europe and the US at 12%. High-quality roads and the use of biofuels will help boost exports and tourism,” he said.
Addressing concerns about damaged road stretches in parts of Gujarat, the minister assured that repairs are already underway.
During his two-day visit to Gujarat, Gadkari also announced a significant push to the state’s road infrastructure with an allocation of ₹20,000 crore under NHAI. After inspecting highways near Himmatnagar, he held a high-level review meeting in Gandhinagar with Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and senior officials. He instructed contractors and officials to maintain the highest standards in road construction, warning that negligence will not be tolerated, as reported by PTI.
CM Patel highlighted that Gujarat’s highways carry over 35% of the state’s vehicle load, emphasizing the need for regular maintenance and faster completion of key projects, including the Ahmedabad-Mumbai, Rajkot-Gondal-Jetpur and Ahmedabad-Udaipur corridors.
