In a recent travel update, the 210-km Delhi–Dehradun Expressway has begun trial on Delhi-Baghpat route. The flagship infrastructure project connecting the national capital with Uttarakhand’s capital has started trial operations on a major 32-km stretch. This is the way they are inching towards the long-awaited corridor closer. When did the trial beginThe trial began on 1 December 2025. The road stretching from Akshardham Temple in Delhi to the junction with Eastern Peripheral Expressway (EPE) near Baghpat (Khekra) was opened for trial. This nearly 32-km long road will allow general vehicular traffic on a trial basis only as of now. As per officials, the trial run will go on for nearly a month and during this period, no toll charges will be levied. To support increased traffic, plans are underway to set up rest facilities, parking lots and drinking-water and sanitation facilities along the route. There will also be first-aid units on this route. Once the route is completed, the Delhi–Dehradun Expressway will connect Delhi’s Akshardham region with Dehradun. It will go through major Uttar Pradesh districts including Baghpat, Baraut, Muzaffarnagar, Shamli, and Saharanpur. Delhi and Dehradun in just 2.5 hours
With this expressway, the travel time between Delhi and Dehradun is expected to cut off dramatically from around 6 hours, depending on traffic to roughly 2.5 hours. When opened completely, the route will be a boon for traveller and regular commuters. Not only this, the expressway is being built with modern infrastructure and several environmentally and safety-conscious features. A 12-kilometre elevated wildlife corridor through the eco-sensitive zone of Rajaji National Park / Shivalik reserve forest, including a 340-metre tunnel (the Daat Kali tunnel), to safeguard wildlife. You’ll also find several animal underpasses in the Dehradun-side stretch for safe wildlife movement. Infrastructure for rain-water harvesting every 500 metres and over 400 water-recharge points along the expressway. There is a future plan to install solar panels along a 14.75-km section (including a 6.9-km elevated stretch near Akshardham), as part of sustainable development efforts. The expressway will also feature access-controlled lanes (speed limit – 100 km/h). Project timeline, cost
It was a much-awaited project which was approved in 2020 and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone in December 2021. As far as the cost is estimated, the projected cost stands at around INR 11,868.6 crore.While as of December 2025, Delhi to Baghpat/EPE junction is open for trial purposes only for a month, work continues on the remaining phases. These are: Baghpat to SaharanpurSaharanpur Bypass to Ganeshpur Final section – Dehradun Though opened on the trial basis, the semi opening of the expressway has offered relief to daily commuters from East/North-East Delhi, Ghaziabad and Noida, among others. By bypassing older, congested routes, this corridor promises saving time and smoother travel.
