Delhi to Meerut in just 1 hour! Second section of Expressway set to be commissioned in December

Delhi-Meerut Expressway's second section, from UP Gate till Dasna in Ghaziabad, is set to be commissioned in December this year, about five months ahead of its scheduled completion date. According to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), work on the 55 per cent completed Delhi-Meerut Expressway project will be finished by May 2020. 

The ambitious Delhi–Meerut Expressway is India's widest 96 km long controlled-access expressway, connecting Delhi with Meerut via Dasna in Ghaziabad in India to provide seamless travel from Delhi to Meerut as well as Hapur. 

As per the IANS report, "once it is operational, motorists from Delhi will be able to reach Meerut in just one hour," NHAI sources said. 

In June 2018, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the first section of Delhi-Meerut Expressway, from Sarai Kale Khan in Delhi to UP Gate in Ghaziabad. 

The 59.78 km stretch from Delhi to Meerut will be a six-lane dual carriage Expressway and can be used after paying the toll. Along this stretch, the distance from Sarai Kale Khan to Dasna will be flanked by four lanes of roads on either which will remain free for use by commuters.

Also, NHAI official mentioned that they are in talks with the authorities to accelerate the work on issues such as a water pipeline near Pratap Vihar in Ghaziabad has to be shifted. In addition this, a Delhi Municipal Corporation toll booth that is causing congestion at UP Gate needs to be shifted. 

The final leg of the project from Dasna to Meerut which is 31.78 km stretch of the Expressway is 52 per cent completed. Work on four kilometers of this particular stretch has been held up owing to arbitration issues raised against land acquisition by farmers. About 0.48 hectares of land along this stretch is also awaiting forest clearance.