Delhi–Haridwar road link to open in two months: Gadkari

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Gadkari said improved road connectivity to religious destinations would help boost tourist arrivals and create jobs.

By BL New Delhi Bureau

Updated - October 27, 2026 at 08:59 PM.

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari | Photo Credit: PTI

To cut travel time to 1.5 hours, the minister says improved road connectivity will boost religious tourism and generate employment.

The road link between Delhi and Haridwar is expected to open within the next two months, reducing travel time between the two cities to one and a half hours, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari said on Tuesday.

Addressing a Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) conference, Gadkari said improved road connectivity to religious destinations would help boost tourist arrivals and create jobs.

Gadkari said the opening of the Delhi–Dehradun route had reduced travel time between the two cities from seven hours to around two hours.

Gadkari said 80–85 per cent of the ₹12,000-crore Char Dham road project had been completed.

He attributed a threefold increase in traffic from Delhi to Badrinath and Kedarnath to improved road connectivity.

According to the minister, road projects connecting religious destinations would support local businesses and generate employment through construction, increased travel and tourism.

Gadkari also said around ₹22,000 crore was being spent on road projects along the Buddhist circuit, which connects destinations associated with the life of Gautam Buddha.

Gadkari said improved connectivity along the circuit would attract tourists from Southeast Asia and other overseas markets.

He also cited the completion of the ₹12,000-crore Palkhi Marg projects in Maharashtra, connecting Pandharpur with Dehu and Alandi, as part of efforts to improve access to pilgrimage destinations.

On connectivity to Kedarnath, Gadkari said the proposed ropeway would cut travel time to around 27 minutes, easing the journey for pilgrims visiting the shrine.

Beyond tourism, Gadkari said highway development would connect rural, tribal and aspirational districts with major economic centres.

He cited the Delhi–Mumbai Expressway and the Raipur–Visakhapatnam corridor as projects that would create opportunities for industry, trade and businesses in districts along their routes.

Gadkari said industrial clusters, multimodal logistics parks, warehousing hubs and wayside amenities were also being developed along highways.

Gadkari said improved connectivity could also provide better access to hospitals and educational institutions, help farmers reach markets and create jobs closer to people’s homes.

Accordingly, he said investment in road infrastructure would generate demand for cement, steel, machinery and construction equipment, while supporting economic activity through lower transport costs and shorter journeys.

Gadkari said India’s logistics costs had fallen from around 16 per cent to about 9 per cent of GDP, attributing the decline to improved road infrastructure.

Gadkari said 36 greenfield expressways had been developed, reducing travel time and improving connectivity for trade, business and tourism.

Published on October 27, 2026

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