Delayed stretch stalls Delhi–Mumbai Expressway, raising costs and public frustration
A project envisioned as a symbol of India’s modern infrastructure push has run into serious trouble — and the problem lies in just 87 kilometres. Three small stretches in Gujarat, together accounting for barely a fraction of the 1,386-km Delhi–Mumbai Expressway, have significantly delayed the completion of the Rs 1.04-lakh-crore mega project.
According to information accessed by The Indian Express, these three stretches were awarded to Pune-based Roadway Solutions India Infra Ltd (RSIIL) in 2021. Despite repeated chances and revised timelines, progress on these sections has remained painfully slow. Nearly four years later, less than 20 per cent of the work on the 87-km stretch has been completed — a situation that has now raised serious concerns within the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
The troubled sections fall under packages 8, 9 and 10 of the Vadodara–Virar corridor in Gujarat. These include the Jujuwa–Gandeva, Karvad–Jujuwa and Talsari–Karvad stretches. While most of the expressway segments in Gujarat are close to completion, these three pockets have emerged as stubborn bottlenecks, preventing the seamless opening of the corridor.
Two of the three stretches were scrapped in March 2023 after prolonged delays. However, when tenders were reissued later that year, RSIIL once again emerged as the lowest bidder and was re-awarded the projects in November 2023.
Officials at the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) have attributed the delays to non-performance by the contractor, along with contractual disputes and ongoing litigation that slowed execution. With patience wearing thin, the NHAI is now considering issuing formal notices to RSIIL. These could potentially lead to termination of the contract if work continues to lag.
The stakes are high. The Delhi–Mumbai Expressway is among India’s most ambitious road projects, cutting across six states — Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra — and divided into 53 construction packages. Once fully operational, the expressway is expected to reduce the distance between Delhi and Mumbai’s Jawaharlal Nehru Port by nearly 180 km and cut travel time by up to 50 per cent. For logistics, industry and commuters alike, the benefits are enormous.
Financially, the project is already deep into execution. Of the total estimated cost of Rs 1,03,636 crore, around Rs 71,718 crore has been spent. Several stretches are already operational, including the Delhi–Lalsot section and parts of Gujarat and Rajasthan. Yet, the incomplete Gujarat segments continue to hold up the full potential of the expressway.
For road users and policymakers, the episode highlights a familiar challenge in large infrastructure projects — how relatively small delays can derail massive national ambitions. As pressure mounts on the NHAI to deliver, the coming weeks may prove decisive in determining whether the troubled contracts are salvaged or scrapped altogether.
Until then, a world-class expressway remains just short of the finish line, stalled by a few kilometres that have become far more costly than anyone anticipated.