Surat-Kurnool Greenfield Expressway to cut Delhi-Chennai distance by 320km
Big news for road-trippers and anyone tired of long journeys. India announced the proposed Surat-Kurnool Greenfield Expressway, which will make traveling between Delhi and Chennai way faster.
Announced by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on March 11, 2026, this greenfield expressway is set to cut the distance by 320km and links up major cities like Nashik, Ahmednagar and Solapur, and connects onward to Kurnool and other southern cities.
Project approved at estimated cost of ₹50,000 crore
The Cabinet just approved a key 374km stretch (Nashik-Solapur-Akkalkot) as part of a larger corridor whose total cost is estimated at ₹45,000 crore to ₹50,000 crore.
Land acquisition is at an advanced stage; bidding is expected after about 90% of land is secured, and the project is expected to be completed about two years from the start of work.
Travel time will drop significantly
Travel time between Surat and Chennai will drop from 31 hours to just 17 hours. That's nearly half!
It'll also help decongest routes like Pune-Kolhapur and make north-south logistics smoother.
Bonus: Delhi-Mumbai trips will soon take only about 12 hours thanks to this new expressway network.