DAK Expressway Completion Revised to March 2027

The Delhi–Amritsar–Katra Expressway, National Expressway 5 (NE5), is scheduled for completion by March 2027, a NHAI official confirmed. This revised timeline represents a significant shift from earlier targets, reflecting construction complexities across multiple states. Construction, which began in April 2021, was delayed by Operation Sindoor and heavy rains and floods in northern states.

Once operational, the high-speed, access-controlled corridor will reduce the distance between Delhi and Katra from 727 km to 588 km and bring down travel time from 14 hours to nearly 6 hours. The expressway will also provide seamless connectivity between two major pilgrimage destinations— Sri Harmandir Sahib in Punjab and Shri Mata Vaishno Devi in Reasi district — and is expected to significantly boost tourism, trade and regional mobility.

Cost escalation has been substantial. The delay in the completion of the expressway has led to the escalation of project cost from Rs 25,000 crore to Rs 38,905 crore, a rise of 55.62 per cent. The project faced delays due to land acquisition constraints and change of scope requirements arising from site conditions and design refinements.

Progress remains uneven across states. The overall project is 80–90% complete in Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir, but only about 43% (273 km out of 635 km) in Punjab as of September 2024. Package 16, costing Rs 1,917.32 crore with Rs 1,765 crore as civil component, started on September 27, 2022, and has achieved 92.53% progress, slated for completion by June 20, 2026.

For real estate investors, the implications are substantial. Several areas along the Delhi Katra Expressway corridor have already seen land prices rise 20 to 40 percent, with villages and semi-urban zones near planned interchanges seeing active land acquisition. As the expressway nears completion, property demand will intensify along the entire stretch, with NCR peripheral zones transforming from dormant markets into vibrant growth corridors.