India is paving 1,350 kilometers of road with 8 lanes to connect its two largest cities — the drive between Delhi and Mumbai will be reduced from 24 hours to 12, and 929 kilometers are already completed.

Written by Douglas Avila

Published on 22/04/2026 at 06:50

50 people reacted to this.

India is building a 1,350-kilometer highway that will cut travel time between its two largest cities — from 24 hours to 12

A car trip between New Delhi and Mumbai currently takes about 24 hours on congested, pothole-ridden, and dangerous roads. When the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway is complete, this journey will drop to 12 hours on an 8-lane highway — expandable to 12 in the future.

With an estimated investment of ₹90,000 crores (about R$ 54 billion), the project spans 6 Indian states and employs tens of thousands of workers. According to data from the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), over 929 kilometers are already operational.

It is the largest highway under construction in India. And one of the largest in the world.

ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW

1,350 kilometers: more than the straight distance from São Paulo to Porto Alegre

The Delhi-Mumbai Expressway connects India’s political capital to its financial capital. To give an idea of the scale, it is 1,350 kilometers — more than the distance from São Paulo to Porto Alegre.

The highway is divided into 4 main sections and 52 work packages, passing through the states of Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and the territory of Delhi.

Cities like Jaipur, Bhopal, Indore, Ahmedabad, and Vadodara gain direct access to the axis that concentrates most of India’s GDP.

The toll from end to end will cost about ₹2,700 — equivalent to R$ 165 — for a regular car. For trucks that make the trip every day, the time savings represent millions of rupees in productivity.

Indian workers building a viaduct of the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway with cranes and heavy equipment — The construction involves 52 work packages spread across 6 states, with hundreds of viaducts, bridges, and tunnels along 1,350 km.

Over 929 km already ready — and a 246 km segment inaugurated by the Prime Minister

Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally inaugurated the 246-kilometer stretch between Delhi and Dausa-Lalsot in February 2023. This stretch alone reduced the trip from Delhi to Jaipur from 5 hours to 3.

In September 2023, an additional 244 kilometers were opened in Madhya Pradesh. In February 2024, the Vadodara-Bharuch section became operational.

By July 2024, the NHAI reported that over 80% of the work was completed, with 96% of the Delhi-Vadodara sector (845 km) already finished.

By March 2026, the Delhi-Vadodara stretch was “almost 99% completed”, except for the Mukundra Hills Tunnel, which is expected to take another 1 to 1.5 years.

The forecast is that the entire Delhi-Vadodara sector will be inaugurated by December 2026. The Vadodara-Mumbai stretch, more complex due to crossing mountainous regions, is expected to be completed between 2027 and 2028.

8 lanes, colossal viaducts, and a tunnel that crosses a mountain range

The Delhi-Mumbai Expressway is not an ordinary road. It is a controlled access highway, designed exclusively for long-distance traffic and heavy loads.

With 8 lanes from day one — and infrastructure to expand to 12 when demand requires — the expressway is the widest ever built in India.

Among the engineering challenges, the Mukundra Hills Tunnel stands out, which crosses a protected natural reserve in Rajasthan. The project required extensive environmental studies and technical solutions to minimize the impact on local wildlife.

Hundreds of viaducts and bridges distribute traffic over rivers, railways, and existing roads, avoiding crossings that cause bottlenecks and accidents.

Modern bridge of the expressway crossing a river in India at dawn — Hundreds of bridges and viaducts along the 1,350 km eliminate crossings and reduce accidents in one of the busiest regions of India.

R$ 54 billion that will reshape the economy of 6 states

The expressway is not just a road. It is an economic corridor that will connect agricultural regions of inland India to the ports and industrial centers of Mumbai and Delhi.

Trucks that currently take 3 days to transport cargo between the two cities will be able to make the trip in less than 14 hours. For the industry, this means smaller inventories, faster deliveries, and drastically reduced logistics costs.

Intermediate cities like Jaipur, Bhopal, and Ahmedabad gain direct access to the largest wealth corridor in India, attracting industrial and commercial investments.

For a population of 1.4 billion people, improving connectivity between the two largest economic hubs has the potential to transform hundreds of millions of lives.

Brazil has similar distances — but lacks expressways like this

The distance between São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro is 430 kilometers. The Via Dutra, the main connection, has stretches of only 2 lanes in each direction, constant traffic jams, and dozens of deaths per year.

India is building 1,350 kilometers of highway with 8 lanes. Brazil has no road of this scale.

While the NHAI executes 52 work packages in parallel with aggressive deadlines, Brazil has been debating projects like Ferrogrão and the duplication of BR-101 for decades — with no completion in sight.

The Delhi-Mumbai Expressway cost R$ 54 billion. For context, Brazil spent R$ 33 billion on the 2014 World Cup on stadiums, many of which are underutilized.

Truck drivers and travelers resting at a modern service area of the expressway in India — Truck drivers who currently take 3 days between Delhi and Mumbai will be able to make the trip in less than 14 hours via the new expressway.

Delays, costs, and the tunnel that is still missing

The original schedule anticipated total completion in 2024. That did not happen.

Delays in land acquisitions, monsoon rains that halt construction for months, and the complexity of the Mukundra Hills Tunnel have pushed the date to 2027-2028.

The cost may have also increased. Some sources mention revisions to ₹1 lakh crore (₹100,000 crores), indicating a possible budget overrun.

Even so, 929 kilometers already operational is an impressive feat for a country that built all this in less than 7 years.

If India can erect 1,350 km of expressway with 8 lanes in this timeframe, what prevents Brazil from doing the same between São Paulo and Rio — 430 km, without mountains, without monsoons?

India is paving 1,350 kilometers of road with 8 lanes to connect its two largest cities — the drive between Delhi and Mumbai will be reduced from 24 hours to 12, and 929 kilometers are already completed.

India is building a 1,350-kilometer highway that will cut travel time between its two largest cities — from 24 hours to 12

1,350 kilometers: more than the straight distance from São Paulo to Porto Alegre

Over 929 km already ready — and a 246 km segment inaugurated by the Prime Minister

8 lanes, colossal viaducts, and a tunnel that crosses a mountain range

R$ 54 billion that will reshape the economy of 6 states

Brazil has similar distances — but lacks expressways like this

Delays, costs, and the tunnel that is still missing

While an average building in London or New York takes three years to be completed, in China a 26-story tower went up in five days with about 100 workers, and the global modular construction market already moves US$ 95 billion per year.

Australia installs giant concrete structures on the seabed 800 meters from the shore to create an ocean intake for desalination that will draw in saltwater and produce 30 million liters of drinking water per day.

While a traditional school may take several days just to raise walls, in Malawi a 3D-printed school had its structure ready in 18 hours, welcomed children in June, and showed a new solution to the lack of classrooms.

Goodbye traditional washing machine: Panasonic surprises housewives with the NA-G5 featuring four drums, a 13 kg washer and dryer, a 12 kg dryer, independent mini washers, a heat pump, and a 4-in-1 system awarded at the German Design Award.

While cities spend fortunes patching potholes and tons of plastic become waste, the Netherlands transforms over 218,000 recycled cups into a modular bike path that can conceal drainage, cables, and pipes.

A public school student single-handedly created a machine capable of treating water for up to 50 people using only solar energy. It was awarded third place at one of the most important science fairs in the world.

New Honda City 2027 emerges without camouflage, reveals controversial interior before debut and indicates changes that could retire the hatch in Brazil

Brazilian livestock gains a new grass from Embrapa that yields up to 32% more leaves during the rainy season, sustains cattle better during drought, and was developed for the weak and acidic soil of the country’s interior, where common grass struggles more to grow.

Global market reacts after a billion-dollar agreement between the US and China boosts wheat, corn, and soybeans in a strong rise on international exchanges

White hydrogen found in billion-year-old rocks in Canada impresses researchers, can generate energy for hundreds of homes, and opens a new race for clean fuel hidden underground.

The era of silicon alone in solar energy comes to an end with the arrival of perovskite, a material that captures a broader light spectrum, is applied as a thin film, and, together with silicon, reaches a theoretical limit of 45% efficiency in tandem modules.

India is paving 1,350 kilometers of road with 8 lanes to connect its two largest cities — the drive between Delhi and Mumbai will be reduced from 24 hours to 12, and 929 kilometers are already completed.

India is building a 1,350-kilometer highway that will cut travel time between its two largest cities — from 24 hours to 12

1,350 kilometers: more than the straight distance from São Paulo to Porto Alegre

Over 929 km already ready — and a 246 km segment inaugurated by the Prime Minister

8 lanes, colossal viaducts, and a tunnel that crosses a mountain range

R$ 54 billion that will reshape the economy of 6 states

Brazil has similar distances — but lacks expressways like this

Delays, costs, and the tunnel that is still missing

While an average building in London or New York takes three years to be completed, in China a 26-story tower went up in five days with about 100 workers, and the global modular construction market already moves US$ 95 billion per year.

Australia installs giant concrete structures on the seabed 800 meters from the shore to create an ocean intake for desalination that will draw in saltwater and produce 30 million liters of drinking water per day.

While a traditional school may take several days just to raise walls, in Malawi a 3D-printed school had its structure ready in 18 hours, welcomed children in June, and showed a new solution to the lack of classrooms.

Goodbye traditional washing machine: Panasonic surprises housewives with the NA-G5 featuring four drums, a 13 kg washer and dryer, a 12 kg dryer, independent mini washers, a heat pump, and a 4-in-1 system awarded at the German Design Award.

While cities spend fortunes patching potholes and tons of plastic become waste, the Netherlands transforms over 218,000 recycled cups into a modular bike path that can conceal drainage, cables, and pipes.

A public school student single-handedly created a machine capable of treating water for up to 50 people using only solar energy. It was awarded third place at one of the most important science fairs in the world.

A project of R$ 384 million plans the construction of three new overpasses, additional lanes, and the application of the whitetopping technique to restore the concrete pavement on PRC-272, in Paraná.

The giant foundation of the offshore platform BorWin6 is loaded in the United Arab Emirates after being transported with SPMTs, winches, and 216 axle lines, while Mammoet prepares to lift the 17,000-ton superstructure still in 2026.

While concrete and steel dominate the image of resilient buildings, a 10-story wooden building was shaken in a laboratory to test if it can withstand earthquakes and reduce permanent damage.

While major urban projects take years to materialize, Dubai hoisted an 8,500-ton structure in 16 days between the skyscrapers of One Za’abeel and created a 230-meter suspended walkway 100 meters above the ground without interrupting the traffic below.

New Honda City 2027 emerges without camouflage, reveals controversial interior before debut and indicates changes that could retire the hatch in Brazil

Brazilian livestock gains a new grass from Embrapa that yields up to 32% more leaves during the rainy season, sustains cattle better during drought, and was developed for the weak and acidic soil of the country’s interior, where common grass struggles more to grow.

Global market reacts after a billion-dollar agreement between the US and China boosts wheat, corn, and soybeans in a strong rise on international exchanges

White hydrogen found in billion-year-old rocks in Canada impresses researchers, can generate energy for hundreds of homes, and opens a new race for clean fuel hidden underground.

The era of silicon alone in solar energy comes to an end with the arrival of perovskite, a material that captures a broader light spectrum, is applied as a thin film, and, together with silicon, reaches a theoretical limit of 45% efficiency in tandem modules.