SRINAGAR: The Government of India has said that construction of the ambitious Delhi–Amritsar–Katra Expressway is progressing across several stretches, with multiple sections in Jammu and Kashmir expected to be completed by 2026.
In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Jairam Gadkari said the expressway is aimed at providing faster and more efficient connectivity between Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
According to the government, once completed, the expressway will reduce the distance between Delhi and Amritsar/Katra by about 40 kilometres. The travel time from Delhi to Amritsar is expected to come down to around five hours, while the journey from Delhi to Katra will take about seven hours.
The project will also help decongest existing national highways, lower vehicle operating costs and improve the overall travel experience for commuters.
The expressway passes through several key cities including Rohtak and Jind in Haryana; Sangrur, Malerkotla, Patiala, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Kapurthala and Gurdaspur in Punjab; and Kathua and Jammu in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
As per the details shared by the government, several stretches of the expressway falling in Jammu and Kashmir are already at advanced stages of construction.
The 35.15-km Section XV, which began in September 2022, has achieved about 88.87 percent physical progress and is now expected to be completed by October 2026. Another 20.39-km stretch (Section XVI) has recorded 92.93 percent progress and is likely to be completed by June 2026.
The 28.92-km Section XVII, started in June 2023, has reached around 59.06 percent progress and is targeted for completion by September 2026. Similarly, Section XVIII, covering 15.3 km, has achieved about 59.11 percent progress and is expected to be completed by August 2026.
The government said the expressway will significantly enhance connectivity to the religious destinations of Amritsar and Katra, while also promoting tourism in Jammu and Kashmir.
It added that the project is expected to strengthen regional infrastructure, improve industrial connectivity in Punjab and Haryana, and contribute to broader economic development in the regions it passes through. The Delhi–Amritsar–Katra Expressway, spanning about 667 kilometres, is among the major national highway projects aimed at transforming road connectivity across northern India.
