Ankleshwar: In major good news for the people of Ankleshwar and those traveling to and from South Gujarat, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has approved a new entry and exit point connecting the Vadodara-Mumbai Expressway (VME) with National Highway 64 Dandi Path at Punagam village.

The approval came during a site visit on 6 October 2025 by NHAI Chairman Santosh Kumar Yadav, addressing a long-standing demand from local authorities and commuters.

The new connectivity is expected to facilitate smoother traffic flow towards NH-48 and industrial hubs such as Ankleshwar, while also providing direct access from Dahej Port to the Expressway. NHAI officials believe that the move will enhance regional connectivity, improve logistics efficiency, and support industrial growth in Gujarat.

Earlier, Ankleshwar MLA Ishwarsinh Patel had written to Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, highlighting the need for improved connectivity in the region. Following this, the decision was taken to provide the new entry and exit points.

Commuters traveling from Bharuch towards Surat can now use the expressway up to Punagam near Ankleshwar, then take the newly provided exit to connect to the Ankleshwar-Hansot-Olpad State Highway, continuing towards Surat. Similarly, vehicles traveling from Surat to Bharuch can use the expressway in the opposite direction.

Furthermore, the entire section of the expressway between Ankleshwar and Surat is expected to be operational by December 2025, with work being fast-tracked. Once opened, the Vadodara-to-Surat section of the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway will be fully operational, as the Vadodara-to-Bharuch stretch is already open, along with some other packages toward Surat. A few days ago, the road between Kim and Ena (Surat) was also opened in both directions to ease traffic. DeshGujarat