Vadodara: As work progresses steadily on the 1,386-km, eight-lane Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, commuters continue to await the opening of the crucial Vadodara–Surat section, which is expected to bring major relief to travelers in South and Central Gujarat.

This stretch has been divided into six packages. Among these, Packages 1 to 3, connecting Vadodara to Bharuch, are already operational. As per the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) data as of April 1, 2025, Packages 4 (Manubar to Ankleshwar) and 6 (Kim to Ena) have also been completed. However, Package 5 (Ankleshwar to Kim Interchange) remains incomplete and is the only major hurdle preventing full-scale operation of the expressway between Vadodara and Surat.

Even though Package 6, covering a 36.93-km stretch from Ena to Kim, received the Provisional Completion Certificate (PCC) in January 2025, some work is still ongoing on the ground. Today, we bring you an update on the progress of this package based on reports from infrastructure bloggers.

As one begins their journey from Ena towards Kim, most of the expressway appears fully ready and smooth for travel. The first major pending—or rather ongoing—work is on the Tapi River bridge, one of the key structures in this section. One side of the bridge is complete, while some work remains on the other. The girder launching on the unfinished side has been completed, and the remaining tasks include connecting the bridge to the roadway and completing lane marking. Given that work is progressing steadily, this is likely to be completed soon. Overall, over 80% of the bridge work is done.

Further along, at the Kim Interchange, some finishing works are still pending, including lane marking, crash barrier installation, and hoardings. However, the toll plaza at this location is ready, and aside from these minor finishing tasks, no major infrastructure work remains. Once completed, this 40-km stretch linking NH-48 to NH-53 will be ready for public use.

However, the onset of the monsoon season is expected to slow down construction activity across this section, especially in critical areas like bridges and interchanges.

Beyond this lies Package 5, the most delayed portion of the Vadodara-Surat corridor. As per the latest figures, it is only around 70% complete. This package is being executed by M/s Gawar-Kim Expressway Pvt. Ltd. and is currently the major bottleneck for the full operationalization of the expressway.

Given the pending work and the arrival of the monsoon, the full opening of the Vadodara-Surat section of the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway appears unlikely in the immediate future. However, indications suggest that if progress resumes post-monsoon, a formal inauguration could be expected around Diwali or by the end of 2025. DeshGujarat