New Delhi: The National Capital Region has entered a new era of mobility with the inauguration of the Dwarka Expressway (Delhi stretch) and the Urban Extension Road-II (UER-II). Together, these two access-controlled corridors add 76 km to India’s expanding expressway network, taking the country’s operational expressway length to 2,712 km.
Unveiled at a combined cost of nearly ₹11,000 crore, the projects are expected to significantly reduce travel time, decongest Delhi’s arterial roads, and create fresh economic opportunities across the region.
Faster Commutes Across NCR
With the new corridors now fully open, travel time between Delhi and Gurugram has been cut to around 30 minutes, while commuters from Noida can reach IGI Airport in just 20 minutes. The expressways offer bypass alternatives to some of Delhi’s busiest choke points, including Dhaula Kuan, Mahipalpur, Mukarba Chowk, and Ring Road intersections.
Project Details
Dwarka Expressway
- Length: 27.6 km (Delhi: 10.1 km, Haryana: 17.5 km)
- Cost: ₹8,611 crore
- Features: 16-lane configuration (8-lane elevated + 8-lane service road), a dedicated four-lane airport tunnel, and connections to Yashobhumi Convention Centre, Bijwasan Railway Station, Delhi Metro’s Blue and Orange lines, and Dwarka Bus Depot.
- Impact: Offers an alternate route to NH-48 and reduces traffic load on Delhi–Gurugram Expressway.
Urban Extension Road-II (UER-II)
- Length: 75.7 km (Delhi: 54.2 km, Haryana: 21.5 km)
- Cost: ₹6,445 crore
- Route: Alipur in North Delhi to Dwarka, linking via Rohini, Mundka, Najafgarh, and IGI Airport.
- Connectivity: Integrates with NH-44, NH-09, and Dwarka Expressway, with spurs to Sonipat Bypass and Bahadurgarh Bypass.
- Purpose: Functions as Delhi’s Third Ring Road, easing congestion on Outer and Inner Ring Roads.
Wider Impact
Urban Mobility
Together, the expressways are part of a larger network that includes the Eastern Peripheral Expressway, Delhi–Meerut Expressway, and Gurugram–Sohna Corridor—forming a multi-layered plan to decongest Delhi and support seamless movement across NCR.
Real Estate Growth
The enhanced connectivity has already spurred rapid growth in property values. Residential prices along the Dwarka Expressway have nearly doubled in the last four years, and analysts predict a further 15–20% increase across outer Delhi, Gurugram, and Sonipat corridors due to the opening of UER-II.
Future Projects
Several linked projects are under construction, including:
- AIIMS–Mehrauli–Gurugram–Faridabad elevated corridor
- Dwarka Expressway–Nelson Mandela Marg tunnel
- DND–Faridabad–Ballabhgarh–Sohna Link Road
- UER-II extension to Tronica City, offering an alternate route towards Dehradun
India’s Growing Expressway Network
With these additions, Delhi now contributes 65 km (2.4%) to the national expressway system. Rajasthan leads the country with 964 km, followed by Haryana (604 km), Gujarat (310 km), and Uttar Pradesh (232 km). The government has approved over 5,100 km of access-controlled corridors, underscoring India’s ambition to build world-class road infrastructure.
References
- Times of India – PM inaugurates Rs 11,000cr road projects linking Delhi and Haryana
- Livemint – Delhi–Gurugram travel to be cut to 30 minutes with Dwarka Expressway, UER-II
- Economic Times – Infra push to boost realty sector in outer Delhi
- Moneycontrol – UER-II brings Sonipat, Kundli into NCR’s prime realty orbit
- Wikipedia – Dwarka Expressway; Urban Extension Road-II
- Dwarka Expressway Project Document (User File)