Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari announced that nearly 80% of the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway has been completed at a cost of ₹1.10 lakh crore, with the remaining work progressing rapidly. Speaking at a public gathering near the Dara Tunnel in Kota after inspecting a 90-km stretch from Laban Interchange in Bundi to Kota, Gadkari reaffirmed his guarantee that the expressway will be fully completed within the next two years. According to reports from Essential Business Intelligence, Gadkari stated that "within two years the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway will be fully completed, enabling people to travel by car from Delhi to Nariman Point and the Jawaharlal Nehru Port within about 12 hours." During his inspection, Gadkari reviewed construction work on Packages 11 to 16 and directed officials to strengthen patrolling to prevent haphazard truck parking along the route.
The Delhi-Mumbai Expressway is India's longest access-controlled expressway, spanning approximately 1,386 km and designed for high-speed travel. As reported by Essential Business Intelligence, the expressway aims to improve connectivity between major industrial and economic centres while reducing travel time, fuel consumption and logistics costs across the corridor. During his inspection, Gadkari highlighted the Mukundra Tunnel as a remarkable engineering achievement, noting that building such infrastructure through plateau terrain was a significant accomplishment. The expressway has been designed with comprehensive safety features, including advanced ventilation systems, with Gadkari emphasizing that road safety must remain a priority.
Once fully operational, the expressway is expected to significantly reduce travel time, improve logistics efficiency and lower transportation costs. According to Essential Business Intelligence, the project is expected to boost economic activity by enhancing connectivity across multiple states, including Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra. Gadkari highlighted that the highway will serve as a catalyst for economic growth rather than merely a transportation corridor, attracting industries, logistics parks, educational institutions, medical colleges and agro-based enterprises. The expressway is expected to create employment opportunities and drive development in regions along its route, with Gadkari noting that "there is no shortage of funds for National Highway projects."
During his visit, Gadkari announced two major infrastructure projects for the Kota region to improve regional connectivity. A 10-km Mukundra bypass on NH-52 will be constructed at an estimated cost of ₹551 crore, while a 21-km highway via Manpura will connect Kota directly with the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway at around ₹1,000 crore. Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma thanked Gadkari for fulfilling infrastructure commitments and highlighted the Rajasthan government's investment of nearly ₹5,000 crore in Kota district development over the past two-and-a-half years. The Chief Minister described Kota as India's premier coaching hub while praising Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla for enhancing the city's stature.
