Vadodara: As the 1,386-km eight-lane Delhi–Mumbai Expressway steadily advances, the much-awaited Vadodara–Surat section remains the crucial missing link for seamless travel across South and Central Gujarat.

Of the six packages in this stretch, Packages 1 to 3 (Vadodara–Bharuch) and Package 6 (Ena–Kim Interchange) are already operational, while Package 4, which includes the Narmada River bridge near Ankleshwar, was completed earlier.

The only unfinished portion is Package 5 (Ankleshwar–Kim), which continues to delay the full opening of the Vadodara–Surat corridor. However, work on this segment has picked up pace post-monsoon, with around 90% of the construction now complete. If progress continues smoothly, this 25-km stretch—an important connector between Gujarat’s key industrial hubs—may open by the end of this year or early next year.

Current Status: Work in Final Stages

Construction activity on this stretch has accelerated notably in recent months. Key developments include:

• Kim Interchange Fully Operational: Both entry and exit sides are functional, allowing traffic movement toward Surat.

• PQC (Pavement Quality Concrete) Laying Progressed: In most parts of the stretch, road work is nearly complete, with crash barriers and signage boards installed.

• Structural Completion: Multiple bridges and underpasses along the route have been completed.

While these milestones were largely achieved before the monsoon period, the key factor now driving faster progress lies in the relocation of power transmission line poles that previously stood in the middle of the expressway alignment.

Power Line Shifting Underway

The primary bottleneck on this package had been high-tension power poles obstructing the alignment, for which shutdown permissions were required. Now, with the monsoon over, ground reports from infrastructure vloggers such as Infra Live indicate that pole-shifting work has resumed actively.

• At the first location, erection for the relocated pole has been completed on one side, while foundation work is underway for the opposite pole.

• At the second crossing, shifting is in progress with foundation work being carried out for the new pole.

• At the third location near the end of the package, both pole shifting and earthwork for the road are ongoing. Construction of new poles has started, and PQC laying will begin once this work and the earthwork are completed.

Railway Overbridge Nearing Completion

Another critical structure, the Railway Overbridge (ROB) being built over the Delhi–Mumbai railway line near Kosamba, is also in its final stages. Most of the bridge work is complete, with only one deck slab pending before the structure becomes fully operational.
Retention wall and earthwork are underway to connect the ROB to the main alignment, while lane marking and signage installation remain pending in isolated areas where road work has been finished.

Contractor Change and Progress

Earlier, Package 5 had been one of the most delayed sections. However, earlier this year, the original contractor, Sadbhav Engineering, sub-contracted the remaining work to M/s Gawar-Kim Expressway Pvt. Ltd. The new contractor has maintained steady progress during the monsoon and has now significantly accelerated the pace.

Furthermore, it is learnt that the Ministry of Power has granted clearance for the necessary high-tension power shutdowns for pole shifting work, which are expected to conclude by mid-November or by November 30 at the latest. Once these final tasks are completed, Package 5 will be ready for commissioning.

What Completion Means for Commuters

If the current pace continues, Package 5 is likely to be ready within the next three months. With its completion, a continuous expressway corridor from Vadodara to Navsari will become operational, as Package 6 is already functional and Package 7 is fully ready.

This will allow direct connectivity between Ahmedabad and Navsari via the Vadodara–Ahmedabad Expressway (NE-1) and the Delhi–Mumbai Expressway—significantly reducing travel time and improving industrial logistics across Gujarat. DeshGujarat