JAMMU: The Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway, the fifth major expressway being developed in the country, is set for completion by March 2027, a senior official of the National Highways Authority of India said on Wednesday.
The construction of the National Expressway 5 (NE5), which began in April 2021, had significantly slowed last year due to Operation Sindoor as well as heavy rains and floods across northern states.
Once completed, the project is expected to considerably enhance regional connectivity, promote religious tourism and facilitate faster mobility for the armed forces, the official said.
The expressway will reduce the distance from Delhi to Katra from 727 to 588 kilometres, cutting travel time from 14 to about six hours, he said.
Rajiv Kumar, project director, NHAI (Project Implementation Unit Jammu), said, “Construction of the expressway was hit badly last year in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor and later by heavy rains and flooding. But the work has gathered pace again. The deadline for its completion has been fixed for March next year.”
Kumar said the National Expressway 5 is the fifth major expressway being developed in the country and has been conceptualised as a religious corridor, supplementing existing air and rail connectivity.
“It will connect two of the most prominent pilgrimage destinations — Sri Harmandir Sahib, also known as the Golden Temple or Darbar Sahib in Amritsar (Punjab) and Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra (Reasi district, Jammu and Kashmir),” he said.
A large number of devotees visit Mata Vaishno Devi annually, the official said, explaining that they currently rely on rail and air travel. The expressway would provide a third option, enabling Delhi-Katra travel in approximately six hours.
“We had only five to six months of effective work last year. One of the biggest challenges was retaining manpower during tense security situations. Many workers left due to safety concerns and had to be persuaded to return. Additionally, heavy rains washed away two bridges, severely disrupting supply lines,” Kumar said.
Strategically, the NHAI official said, the expressway is significant for Jammu and Kashmir due to its proximity to the International Border.
“Running parallel to sensitive border areas, the corridor is expected to facilitate faster deployment and improved mobility for defence forces,” he said.
Kumar said advanced segmental bridge construction technology — a method adopted during the construction of Delhi Metro and Dwarka Expressway — is being used in the current project.
Packages 15 and 16 along the Jammu-Samba stretch included an elevated corridor of nearly 21.5 kilometres, which posed a challenge due to heavy traffic movement. However, the target was achieved using segmental bridge construction technology without disrupting traffic, the NHAI official said.
Keeping the upcoming annual Amarnath Yatra in mind, the official said, a target has been set to complete nearly 30 kilometres of the Jammu-Kathua stretch before the start of the pilgrimage later this year.
