The expected seamless route between Delhi and Mumbai may be postponed until December 2029, as the flagship Delhi-Mumbai Expressway project is more than five years behind schedule.
Work on three sections of the high-speed corridor in Gujarat, totaling about 90 km, has not yet begun. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is currently reviewing bids for two of these sections. In one case, the last successful bidder withdrew from the project, forfeiting a guarantee deposit of 15 crore rupees.
The process of appointing a contractor for the third section is in its final stages. Previously, three packages in Gujarat—packages 8, 9, and 10—were awarded to the highway developer Pune Roadways Solutions India Infra Ltd (RSIIL). However, the contracts were terminated because the company failed to meet established milestones, despite receiving several extensions, according to NHAI officials.
It is reported that NHAI received seven bids for package 8 (from Jujuwa to Gandeva) and six for package 9 (from Karwada to Jujuwa). NHAI was forced to conduct a new tender for package 8 after the last successful bidder, Bansal Construction Works, did not sign the Letter of Acceptance (LoA) 'without stating any reason.' The publication TOI learned that officials were surprised by the lack of objection from the company, which simply forfeited the guarantee deposit, an unprecedented occurrence in recent NHAI history.
Those familiar with the developments noted that RSIIL, which was blacklisted by NHAI for non-compliance, submitted a bid for package 9. Officials stated that although RSIIL filed a petition against NHAI's eligibility criteria excluding it from the tender, the Delhi High Court approved NHAI's evaluation of the bids. The matter is scheduled for a hearing next week.
Officials expressed confidence in completing the process this month so that work can commence in the next couple of months. They added that construction work will take about two years. One official stated: 'These three sections will be ready no later than December 2029. The Expressway project has faced delays due to a number of reasons, including Covid-19, land acquisition delays, and obtaining legal clearances.'
Project participants also reported that in addition to the three sections in Gujarat, one section in Maharashtra and one in Rajasthan are also incomplete. These two sections are expected to be ready by April 2027. The government promised to halve the travel time between Delhi and Mumbai, down to a minimum of 12 hours, thanks to this expressway.