The Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway is set to make road trips from Delhi to Amritsar and Katra considerably faster. This greenfield expressway is being developed to improve connectivity across Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, and Jammu and Kashmir, while also providing quicker access to major pilgrimage destinations. The complete corridor is still under construction, but new sections are gradually opening. Once fully operational, it is expected to significantly reduce travel times to both Amritsar and Katra.
How Long Is The Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway?
The Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway is planned as a roughly 670-km access-controlled corridor. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has divided construction into 21 packages across two phases. The expressway is being developed as a four-lane highway, with provisions for future expansion to eight lanes.
What Is The Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway Route?
The expressway begins near Delhi, enters Haryana, and then splits into separate routes for Amritsar and Katra. The major locations along the route include:
Haryana: Jhajjar, Rohtak, Sonipat, Jind and Kaithal
Punjab: Patiala, Sangrur, Malerkotla, Ludhiana and Jalandhar
Amritsar Branch: Nakodar, Sultanpur Lodhi, Goindwal Sahib, Khadur Sahib, Tarn Taran
Katra Branch: Kapurthala, Gurdaspur, Dinanagar and Pathankot
Final Destinations: Amritsar and Katra
The Amritsar branch is around 100 km long and connects Nakodar with Amritsar. The Katra route continues toward Jammu and Kashmir.
How Much Will Travel Time Reduce?
The biggest benefit for travelers will be shorter road journeys. Driving from Delhi to Amritsar currently takes around eight hours, depending on traffic. Once the complete expressway becomes operational, the journey is expected to take approximately four hours.
The change will be even more noticeable for Katra. The current Delhi-Katra road journey can take close to 14 hours, while the new expressway is expected to reduce it to roughly six hours. The road distance is also expected to fall from around 727 km to nearly 588 km.
Curious about the upcoming Bareilly-Haldwani Expressway? Here’s a look at its length, travel time reduction, and key details.
How Will The Expressway Help Travelers?
The expressway is particularly important for religious tourism. Faster road connectivity will make trips from Delhi to the Golden Temple in Amritsar and Vaishno Devi in Katra considerably easier. It will also improve access to Sultanpur Lodhi, Goindwal Sahib, Khadur Sahib, and Tarn Taran. Apart from tourism, the corridor is expected to improve the movement of people and goods across northern India.
Is The Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway Open?
The complete Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway is not yet fully operational. Sections of the corridor are being opened as construction progresses, but travelers should not plan their entire Delhi-Amritsar or Delhi-Katra journey assuming the complete expressway is available yet.
Wondering why it is called the Missing Link? Here’s what to know about the Mumbai-Pune Expressway section and its significance.
Summing Up
Once completed, the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway could make road trips across northern India considerably quicker. Delhi-Amritsar travel time is expected to fall to about four hours, while Delhi-Katra could come down to roughly six hours. For travelers heading to Amritsar, Katra, or the religious destinations along the route, the project should make road travel much more convenient.
