Ankleshwar: Only one carriageway of Package 5 of the Vadodara–Virar section of the Delhi–Mumbai Expressway, connecting Kim to Ankleshwar, is likely to be opened to traffic by December 31, as construction at some places on the remaining side is still underway.

Package 5 is part of the Vadodara–Mumbai stretch of the expressway and has been one of the last missing links in the crucial Vadodara–Surat corridor. While earlier reports had suggested a full opening, the latest on-ground assessment indicates that only a single carriageway will be made operational initially to ease congestion on National Highway-48 (NH-48), especially around Bharuch.

One-Side Opening to Ease NH-48 Traffic

According to on-site ground reports by vloggers, vehicles coming from Surat and Kim will soon be able to use the newly completed section of the expressway carriageway towards Vadodara and Ahmedabad. This diversion is expected to significantly reduce traffic congestion in Bharuch and Ankleshwar, where commuters have been facing prolonged delays for several months.

The operational stretch will extend from the Kim Interchange up to Pungam village near Ankleshwar, enabling uninterrupted one-way movement while work continues on the parallel carriageway.

Why Both Sides Are Not Opening Yet

Although a major portion of Package 5 is structurally complete, some critical works are still pending at a few locations, preventing a full dual-carriageway opening. The biggest bottleneck is the shifting of a high-tension power line, with a power pole still standing within the alignment on one side of the expressway.

However, a temporary road has been constructed through which vehicles can bypass the high-tension poles, so in the near future, the authorities might consider opening the other carriageway as well.

Other pending works that are expected to be completed before opening include:

• Pavement Quality Concrete (PQC) work at a section, where a high-tension power pole has already been shifted. This work is progressing at a rapid pace and is likely to be completed within a day or two on the carriageway proposed to be opened.
• Final lane markings and surface corrections at a few isolated patches affected by soil settlement, which are currently being addressed.

What This Means for Commuters

Once operational, even in a single direction, Package 5 is expected to provide immediate relief to daily commuters and freight traffic by offering a faster alternative to NH-48. Traffic flow is likely to improve further once the second carriageway is completed and fully opened.

With this partial opening, the long-awaited Vadodara-Surat expressway connectivity will finally become functional. Of the six packages in this section, Packages 1 to 4 and Package 6 are already operational, and the opening of the remaining Kim-Ankleshwar stretch will complete the Vadodara–Surat section of the Delhi–Mumbai Expressway, marking a major milestone in Gujarat’s expressway network. DeshGujarat