Surat: In good news for commuters, another package of the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway in Gujarat has been opened for vehicular traffic. Package No. 6, covering the Kim to Ena stretch of the Vadodara–Virar corridor, is now open. However, it has been temporarily made operational in one direction—from Bharuch towards Surat—due to the closure of the Tapi River bridge on National Highway 48 for repair work.

Even though the opening is temporary, it marks another step toward fully connecting Vadodara to Surat via the expressway. Of the total 161-km stretch between Vadodara and Surat, 123 km—76%—has now become operational.

The Delhi-Mumbai Expressway runs through Gujarat in two key segments: Delhi–Vadodara and Vadodara–Virar. The latter connects Vadodara to Surat and consists of six construction packages. Of these, Packages 1 to 3 (Vadodara to Bharuch) are already operational. According to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Packages 4 (Manubar to Ankleshwar) and 6 (Kim to Ena) are also complete.

The newly opened Package 6, spanning 37 kilometers, was built by GR Ena Kim Expressway Private Limited. It became operational on Thursday after the completion of the last remaining work—the Tapi River bridge. Vehicles have already begun plying the route.

Only Package 5 (Ankleshwar to Kim Interchange) remains incomplete and is the final major hurdle preventing the full-scale operation of the expressway between Vadodara and Surat. With monsoon conditions likely to slow down construction, this package is expected to be completed post-monsoon, around Navratri, paving the way for the full opening of the Vadodara–Surat section by Diwali or the end of the year.

Notably, with this development, 123 kilometers of the approximately 425-kilometer stretch of the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway passing through Gujarat are now operational, including the 86-kilometer stretch between Vadodara and Bharuch. DeshGujarat