The Union government has announced plans to build a new greenfield expressway aimed at improving connectivity between northern and southern India. Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, informed the Rajya Sabha that the project will significantly shorten travel distances and enhance logistics efficiency across the country.
The proposed expressway will run from Surat in Gujarat to Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh. The corridor will form part of a broader highway network connecting several major cities and economic hubs across India.
According to the minister, the new route will reduce the distance between Delhi and Chennai by approximately 320 kilometres, which is expected to bring down both travel time and transportation costs.
“Now, we have taken a decision which is a historical decision, of making the Express highway from Mumbai to Delhi, which is already 70-80 per cent complete.
“After Surat, we are making a new Green Express highway, starting from Surat to Nasik to Ahmednagar to Sholapur to Kurnool, and from there it will connect to Chennai, Kanyakumari, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Cochin. It is a new connectivity from North India to South India,” the minister informed members.
Officials said the highway will strengthen connectivity between key economic centres and streamline the movement of goods and passengers across regions.
Gadkari also noted that the ongoing highway development programme will significantly reduce travel time between Mumbai and Delhi once the entire expressway network becomes operational.
“It is going to reduce the distance between Delhi and Chennai by 320 kms, which in turn will reduce the cost, and because of the highway, we will also reduce the time period. So, Mumbai-Delhi will be within 12 hours,” Gadkari said in the Upper House.
Improved road infrastructure is also expected to ease congestion on several busy transport corridors. Areas around Pune and Kolhapur currently experience heavy traffic due to the movement of long-distance freight and passenger vehicles between northern and southern India.
The proposed expressway is part of a broader strategy to enhance national connectivity and support faster logistics movement across the country.
Source: Financial Express
