Saharanpur, October 23: Travelling from Delhi to Dehradun has now become much easier and faster than before. On April 14 this year, PM Narendra Modi inaugurated the 213-kilometre-long Delhi-Dehradun Expressway. This corridor is proving to be a game changer for industry and trade in western Uttar Pradesh. Built at a cost of about ₹12,000 crore, this six-lane, access-controlled corridor has cut travel time from six to seven hours to two and a half to three hours. This has allowed entrepreneurs, exporters, and transporters to save time and speed up business activities.
Expressway Connectivity Across Western Uttar Pradesh
A key feature of this corridor is that 135 kilometres, or about 64%, passes through UP. Starting from Akshardham, it passes through Loni, Mandola, Khekra, Baraut, Shamli, Muzaffarnagar and Saharanpur before reaching Dehradun. The longest stretch within Saharanpur is about 45 kilometres, which is expected to benefit businesses in the district in particular. The corridor's speed limit has been set at 100 kilometres per hour. Four major toll plazas have been built at Katha, Rasoolpur Kheri, Saiyyad Majra and Ganeshpur. Tolls are also charged at every entry and exit, but as it is a greenfield corridor, interruptions during the journey are reduced.
Saharanpur Handicraft Industry Gains Better Access
Saharanpur is recognised nationally and internationally for its wood carving, furniture and handicrafts industries. Transportation and freight movement play a crucial role in delivering products manufactured here to major markets. Improved road connectivity through the Delhi-Dehradun Corridor has made it easier to access commercial centres in Delhi-NCR, export-trade establishments, and other markets. Businesses dealing in wooden furniture, decorative items, and handicraft products are benefiting from faster supply chains. This has increased the ability to deliver goods on time and conduct business according to customers' requirements.
Industrial And Agricultural Trade Benefits
Muzaffarnagar is a major industrial centre in western Uttar Pradesh. Paper mills, steel and engineering units, sugar mills and related ancillary industrial activities play an important role here. These industries require a regular supply of raw materials and timely transportation of finished products. Safe, timely delivery of finished products is important for the paper industry, while steel and engineering units require transporting heavy materials. The Delhi-Dehradun Expressway has helped industrial units coordinate better with suppliers, distributors, and customers. Faster road connectivity has made moving goods easier, increasing the prospects of accelerating business activities.
Agriculture and related businesses play an important role in Shamli district's economy. Improved road connectivity is proving useful for sugar mills, agricultural produce trading, food processing and other local industrial activities. Connectivity through the corridor has made it easier to transport agricultural produce to processing units and carry finished products to markets in Delhi-NCR and Uttarakhand. This has improved market access for those associated with agro-based businesses.
Exporters Report Faster Deliveries And Savings
Behat region is known for exporting handicrafts, wood carvings, and agricultural equipment. Exporters here expect the Delhi-Dehradun Corridor to accelerate their business activities. Haji Rafiq Ahmad, Behat Convenor of the Indian Industries Association and owner of Indian Village Handicraft, explains that it used to take eight to ten hours to transport a container from Saharanpur to Delhi's ICD Tughlakabad. Traffic jams and single-lane roads on NH-709B often delayed shipments, leading foreign buyers to impose penalties.
According to Haji Rafiq Ahmad, the same truck now reaches Delhi in two and a half to three hours. This has made it possible to dispatch orders a day earlier. Another exporter, Faizal Ilahi, says travelling to and from Delhi is now easier. Earlier, a meeting with a buyer in Delhi would take up the entire day. Now, one can leave at 6 a.m., attend a meeting in Delhi at 9 a.m. and return to the factory by the afternoon. This is helping businesses make decisions faster and complete business-related tasks in less time.
Transporters Highlight Reduced Operating Costs
Delhi-Dehradun Corridor has also brought changes to the transport business. Anoop Khanna, Saharanpur Udyog Bandhu Convenor and transport entrepreneur, explains that earlier, a truck travelling from Delhi to Saharanpur could return only the next day. The expenses increased considerably after adding the driver's allowance and overtime. Now, the same truck can complete a round trip to Delhi within a day. According to him, turnaround time has decreased by approximately 50%. Transporter Majid Ali says fuel savings are a major benefit of this corridor. Earlier, trucks got stuck in traffic jams for three to four hours, whereas the direct road now saves time. According to him, the corridor saves approximately ₹3,500 to ₹4,000 in diesel per trip. A transporter making 10 trips a month can save ₹35,000 to ₹40,000.
Logistics Investment And Market Access
IIA Chapter Chairman S. Kumar Arora states that the Delhi-Dehradun Corridor has brought western UP closer to NCR. Proposals for large warehouses, cold storage facilities and logistics parks have started coming in following the development of interchanges at Baghpat, Khekra and Baraut. He said improved road connectivity has also positively impacted export trade. IIA Chapter Secretary Anuj Kumar Jain explained that the corridor has also sped up the transport of agricultural produce. Basmati rice, mangoes, and sugarcane-based products from Saharanpur now reach Delhi's Azadpur Mandi and export hubs faster. Land prices around the corridor have increased by 15% to 25%. Improved connectivity has also increased prospects for expanding storage, transportation, and logistics-related activities in the region.
Wildlife Protection Along The Expressway
Delhi-Dehradun Expressway also considered environmental conservation alongside development. A 12-kilometre-long elevated wildlife corridor has been built from Ganeshpur to Dehradun. It includes two elephant underpasses, six animal underpasses and a tunnel at Dat Kali. These arrangements aim to ensure wildlife can move safely in Rajaji National Park. With better road connectivity, reduced travel time, and potential savings in freight transportation, the Delhi-Dehradun Corridor is opening new opportunities for industry, exports, and logistics in western Uttar Pradesh. It is expected to help connect regional businesses with larger markets and accelerate industrial activities.
