January 15, 2026: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has opened the remaining packages of the Vadodara–Navsari section of the Delhi–Mumbai Expressway on a trial basis, enabling uninterrupted travel across this stretch. With the opening of Package 7 on the Vadodara–Virar section, the full expressway corridor between Vadodara and Navsari is now accessible to commuters.
The newly opened stretch includes the Ena–Kharel segment near Navsari, along with Package 5 connecting Ankleshwar to Kim. Both sections have been made operational on a trial basis, allowing vehicles to move directly from Vadodara to Kharel via the expressway. This development completes Gujarat’s 426-km portion of the 1,386-km, eight-lane Delhi–Mumbai Expressway.
With all seven packages in the Vadodara–Navsari corridor now open, the route offers continuous connectivity between central and south Gujarat. Earlier, Packages 1, 2 and 3, covering the Vadodara–Bharuch stretch, became fully operational in February 2024. The latest openings extend this connectivity further south, strengthening the expressway’s role as a key transport link.
The operationalisation of these sections enables direct road travel between Ahmedabad and Surat by combining the Ahmedabad–Vadodara Expressway with the Delhi–Mumbai Expressway. This is expected to reduce travel time between major industrial centres in Gujarat and improve freight and passenger movement.
However, some operational limitations remain on the trial sections. A high-tension power transmission tower is located along the alignment of Package 5, requiring a compulsory diversion through a temporary three-lane road. In addition, certain stretches are currently open only on one carriageway, with diversions at specific points.
Senior NHAI officials inspected the corridor on 8 January and confirmed that the road is structurally complete. Some safety-related works are still pending, and the sections may be closed again if issues arise during the trial period. Full-scale operations are expected to begin within the next one to two weeks.
