India is on the brink of unveiling one of its most ambitious infrastructure achievements: the nation’s first-ever 8-lane road tunnel, located on the Kota–Delhi route of the Delhi–Mumbai Expressway. Nearing completion and expected to open by early December 2025, the tunnel is set to revolutionize travel across one of India’s most crucial transport corridors.
This engineering milestone is more than just a passage through the hills — it promises a dramatic reduction in travel time, cutting the current three-hour journey between Kota and the Delhi-bound stretch to just one hour. Once the entire Delhi–Mumbai Expressway is operational, the 1,386 km route will shrink the total travel duration from 24 hours to nearly 12 hours, redefining long-distance road transport in India.
Beyond speed and convenience, the expressway stands as a model of sustainable development. The tunnel and surrounding highway sections are designed with eco-friendly considerations to safeguard the Mukundra Tiger Reserve, ensuring wildlife movement and ecological balance remain undisturbed.
The project spans five states — Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Maharashtra — promising unprecedented boosts in connectivity, logistics efficiency, trade flow, and regional economic growth.
With construction in its final stages, India is getting closer to opening a corridor that will not only connect two major metros but also reshape the nation’s infrastructure landscape.
