In a bid to enhance connectivity between Delhi and Vadodara, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday (October 2) inaugurated the second stretch of the Delhi-Mumbai expressway up to Gujarat.
The prime minister was on a one-day visit to Madhya Pradesh on Monday to launch a slew of projects, including the Rs 11,895 crore Delhi-Vadodara Expressway.
After the inauguration of this stretch, the road journey time between Delhi and Vadodara is now down to 10 hours, which will make this route even faster than the fastest train on the route.
The Delhi-Vadodara section of the expressway traverses through several states, including Rajasthan (373 km) and Madhya Pradesh (244 km), as well as Haryana (79 km). Notably, the Sohna-Dausa portion of the Delhi-Mumbai expressway is already operational.
The Delhi-Mumbai Expressway is set to traverse through several key cities, including Sohna, Dausa, Lalsot, Sawai Madhopur, Kota, Ratlam, Dahod, and Godhra. This ambitious infrastructure project will significantly reduce the travel time between Delhi and Vadodara, a journey that previously took approximately 18 to 20 hours.
While the traditional routes covered a distance of over 1,000 kilometers, this new expressway will shorten the distance to just 845 kilometers, making the commute much more efficient and convenient.
PM Modi to hand over PMAY houses during Madhya Pradesh
The Prime Minister also commenced the ‘grih pravesh’ ceremony for over 2.2 lakh homes constructed as part of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Gramin. Additionally, he inaugurated houses developed under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Urban, with an estimated cost of approximately Rs 140 crore, according to an official statement.
In Gwalior and Sheopur districts, Prime Minister Modi laid the foundation stone for Jal Jeevan Mission projects valued at more than Rs 1,530 crore, benefiting more than 720 villages in the region.
The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) announcement also mentions that Modi oversaw the commencement of nine health centers as part of the Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission, along with the inauguration and launch of various other initiatives.
Furthermore, he initiated the foundation stone-laying ceremonies for five distinct road projects totaling over Rs 1,880 crore.
This visit marks PM Modi fourth visit to Madhya Pradesh in less than two months and his eighth visit in the past seven months. These visits come ahead of the anticipated Assembly polls scheduled for the end of the year in the state.