The Delhi–Amritsar–Katra Expressway is a 667 km access-controlled highway corridor under development by the National Highway Authority of India under the Bharatmala Pariyojana. On 17 July 2026, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Packages 1 to 5, covering 157.92 km in Jind, Haryana, and Package 6, covering 30.9 km in Jalandhar, Punjab.
Project Profile
The expressway is planned as a four-lane road with provision for expansion to eight lanes. Packages 1 to 5 cost about ₹9,680 crore, and the inaugurated sections together cover more than 188 km.
Route and Connectivity
The corridor links Delhi, Amritsar, and Katra across Haryana, Punjab, and Jammu & Kashmir. It is designed to reduce pressure on NH-44, which is also known as the Grand Trunk Road or GT Road.
Travel Time and Pilgrimage Link
The inaugurated stretches are expected to reduce travel time between Delhi and Katra from about 14 hours to nearly 6 hours. The travel time between Delhi and Amritsar is expected to fall from around 8 hours to 4 hours.
Important Facts for Exams
- The Delhi–Amritsar–Katra Expressway is a greenfield expressway project.
- The National Highway Authority of India is the implementing agency for the corridor.
- The Bharatmala Pariyojana is a central road development programme for highway connectivity.
- The corridor is linked to the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi shrine at Katra in Jammu and Kashmir.
Economic and Logistics Features
The expressway is planned to support industrial and logistics development along its route. Access-controlled highways in India are designed to permit limited entry and exit points for smoother traffic flow.
