India’s 7 New Expressways That Are Making Road Trips Faster, Smoother & More Scenic

There’s never been a better time to take a road trip across India. Somewhere this year, a six-hour drive quietly became a two-and-a-half-hour one. A route that once meant bumper-to-bumper traffic can now be covered before you’ve even finished your playlist. And in another state, toll booths have practically disappeared. Here’s a look at eight of India’s newest expressways and highway corridors that deserve a spot on every traveller’s radar.

7 New Expressways In India That Are Making Road Trips Faster Than Ever

1. Lucknow-Kanpur Expressway, Uttar Pradesh

If you’ve ever driven between Lucknow and Kanpur, you’d know the journey was rarely predictable. Traffic bottlenecks, slow-moving vehicles and long delays often stretched what should have been a short drive into a frustrating three-hour affair. That’s exactly what the newly inaugurated 63-km Lucknow-Kanpur Expressway is set to change. Opened to public in July 2026, the six-lane access-controlled expressway now brings the travel time down to under 45 minutes. Built at a cost of around ₹4,200 crore, the project is also Uttar Pradesh’s first expressway to introduce a completely barrier-free toll collection system. Instead of stopping at toll plazas, vehicles are charged automatically using FASTag integration and automatic number plate recognition technology.

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2. Ganga Expressway, Uttar Pradesh

Covering an incredible 594 kilometres from Meerut to Prayagraj, the Ganga Expressway is now the longest in Uttar Pradesh and one of the country’s most ambitious highway projects. The corridor passes through 12 districts including Bulandshahr, Hardoi, Shahjahanpur, Unnao and Rae Bareli, stitching together large parts of central and western Uttar Pradesh. Designed for speeds of up to 120 kmph, the expressway has been equipped with an Intelligent Traffic Management System, CCTV surveillance and one feature that immediately stands out: a 3.2-km emergency airstrip near Shahjahanpur. In case of emergencies, Indian Air Force fighter aircraft can use this stretch for landing and take-off.

3. Delhi-Dehradun Expressway

Anyone who’s left Delhi early on a Saturday morning hoping to beat traffic to Dehradun knows that the journey rarely went according to plan. The Delhi-Dehradun Expressway is changing that equation completely. Stretching over 213 kilometres, the newly opened six-lane corridor cuts travel time between Delhi and Dehradun from nearly six hours to about two and a half hours. But speed isn’t what makes this project amazing. Near Rajaji National Park, the expressway rises onto a 12-km elevated wildlife corridor, allowing elephants, deer and other animals to continue using their natural movement paths underneath. It’s one of India’s largest wildlife-sensitive highway designs and reflects an increasing effort to balance infrastructure with conservation.

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4. Delhi-Mumbai Expressway (Vadodara-Godhra Stretch), Gujarat

India’s longest upcoming expressway isn’t opening all at once. Instead, different sections are becoming operational in phases, and one of the biggest additions this year is the 64-km Vadodara-Godhra stretch in Gujarat. Initially opened for trial operations before being formally inaugurated, this section has already reduced travel time between the two cities to roughly 45 minutes. Once the entire 1,386-km Delhi-Mumbai Expressway is complete, it will connect Delhi and Mumbai through Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra using an access-controlled corridor designed for high-speed travel.

5. Bengaluru-Chennai Expressway (Andhra Pradesh Stretch)

South India’s next major road corridor has begun taking shape! 

The National Highways Authority of India opened a 25-km section of the Bengaluru-Chennai Expressway between Bethamangala and Bairedipalle, marking the first operational stretch of the project in Andhra Pradesh. Together with the Karnataka section that became operational earlier, nearly 100 kilometres of the planned 262-km expressway are already functional. Once completed, the corridor will connect Bengaluru to Chennai through Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, dramatically improving both passenger and freight movement. 

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6. Ahmedabad-Dholera Expressway, Gujarat

The Ahmedabad-Dholera Expressway isn’t just another highway connecting two cities; it’s the backbone of one of India’s biggest infrastructure ambitions. The 109-km access-controlled corridor links Ahmedabad with the Dholera Special Investment Region, India’s first planned greenfield smart city. It will also provide direct access to the upcoming Dholera International Airport, making it one of Gujarat’s most strategically important transport projects. Built at a cost of over ₹5,100 crore, the expressway is expected to support industrial development, attract investment and create a seamless route for both cargo movement and passenger travel. As Dholera develops over the coming years, this road is likely to become its primary gateway.

7. Thalappady-Chengala Stretch, NH-66, Kerala

While it isn’t technically classified as an expressway, Kerala’s newly opened Thalappady-Chengala section of National Highway 66 deserves a place on this list simply because of what it represents. The 39-km six-lane stretch in Kasaragod district is the first fully completed six-lane section under Kerala’s massive NH-66 expansion programme. Built at a cost of around ₹1,704 crore, it has significantly improved travel along the state’s northern coastline and reduced congestion on one of Kerala’s busiest road corridors. 

The project also carries a unique distinction. It was constructed by the Uralungal Labour Contract Co-operative Society, making it one of the few large-scale national highway projects in India executed by a state-based workers’ cooperative rather than a private infrastructure company.

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Which of these expressway have your travelled on so far? Let us know in the comments.

Cover Image Courtesy: loonger/Canva Pro

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