Overview
- Construction teams finished the 4.9 km, eight‑lane tunnel beneath the Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve in mid‑June, creating the last major physical link on the expressway.
- Project authorities say the full 1,386 km corridor could open any time after June 20 if pending administrative clearances and operational tests are completed.
- The tunnel was built under the protected reserve to avoid cutting through habitat and to allow high‑speed traffic without disturbing wildlife above ground.
- When fully operational the expressway is expected to halve road travel time between Delhi and Mumbai to roughly 12 hours and to lower logistics costs for freight moving through Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra.
- Launched in 2019 at an estimated cost near ₹1 lakh crore, the project opened in phases and faced earlier delays from land acquisition and difficult terrain, and officials now see the corridor’s commissioning as the next step for regional trade and commuter travel.