Jammu: The much-awaited Kunjwani-Satwari elevated flyover on the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway project is nearing operationalisation, with finishing works underway and traffic expected to begin on the elevated corridor soon.
The flyover, being developed as part of the Jammu section of the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway, is aimed at providing a direct, signal-free passage between Kunjwani and Satwari, bypassing the busy Satwari Chowk and reducing congestion on one of the city’s key traffic corridors.
The elevated structure has already been completed, while finishing and associated works are being taken up.
Officials had earlier indicated that the Kunjwani-Satwari section would be completed up to the Fourth Tawi Bridge as part of the ongoing work.
Once opened, the corridor is expected to particularly benefit vehicles travelling between Pathankot and Jammu, as well as commuters heading towards Jammu Airport and other parts of the city.
Heavy commercial vehicles and long-distance traffic are also expected to gain from the reduced interaction with local traffic at Satwari.
The project assumes significance as Satwari Chowk frequently witnesses heavy traffic, with congestion affecting commuters travelling towards the airport, Jammu city and the Pathankot side. The elevated route will allow through traffic to bypass the junction without descending onto the existing road network.
The Kunjwani-Satwari stretch forms part of Package 16 of the DAK Expressway project. Package 16 covers the 11.8-km Jakh (Vijaypur)-Kunjwani section of NH-44, which is being developed to six-lane expressway standards and includes connectivity to Jammu Airport.
The larger Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway project comprises five packages in Jammu and Kashmir, covering nearly 143 km. Construction on the J-K packages began in September 2022.
While substantial progress has been made on Packages 14, 15 and 16, the overall completion timeline for all five J-K packages has been revised to November 2027 following extensive damage to road infrastructure caused by heavy rains in August 2025.
NHAI officials had earlier said nearly 90 per cent work on Packages 14, 15 and 16 had been completed, with portions expected to be opened in phases. Packages 17 and 18, covering the Kunjwani-Sidhra and Sidhra-Ban stretches among other sections, are targeted for completion by November 2027.
Once the wider expressway network is completed, the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra corridor is expected to bring down the travel time between Delhi and Katra to around six hours and Delhi and Amritsar to around four hours.
For Jammu, however, the immediate significance lies in the Kunjwani-Satwari elevated corridor, whose opening is expected to provide relief to daily commuters and streamline traffic movement on the city’s busy southern approach.
