The Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, under construction on the Faridabad bypass, is nearly completed, with the only thing left is load testing. The Expressway is expected to be ready for traffic by the end of this month following the completion of square construction and road widening procedures. After it is operational, this project would greatly reduce travel time and congestion for millions of commuters in Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Maharashtra.
Even though the official link between Kail and Mandkaula has not yet been inaugurated, residents of Faridabad have already begun utilising the expressway via Mandkaula from Kail village in Ballabhgarh. Though it hasn't been formally opened, traffic has been flowing through the 25-kilometer stretch of the expressway.
Earlier, authorities with the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) planned for this stretch of the expressway to be accessible to vehicles by February 20. But even before the highway was formally inaugurated, cars of all sizes started to use it. The region's traffic bottlenecks have gotten worse because of the impending assembly elections; at different places, election campaigns and rallies have caused heavy traffic.
Some drivers are putting their safety in danger by attempting to use the incomplete expressway to avoid this traffic congestion. Signboards and lamps are still being installed, especially on the Delhi side beyond Ashoka Enclave. Consequently, some sections of the expressway continue to be blocked up and inaccessible to the general public.
The Delhi-Mumbai Expressway is likely to completely change long-distance travel in North and Western India once it is operational. The initiative will facilitate trade and travel between important industrial hubs, enabling the quicker and more effective flow of people and products across states. Residents and commuters are looking forward to the expressway's opening because they expect a significant reduction in travel time.
