Delhi–Amritsar–Katra Expressway

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Delhi–Amritsar–Katra Expressway is a 670 km long, four-lane (expandable to eight) expressway under construction. It will run from the Bahadurgarh border near Delhi in Haryana and Punjab to Katra in Jammu and Kashmir, with a spur that connects Nakodar to Sri Guru Ram Das Ji International Airport in Amritsar.

Key facts:
- Length and design: 670 km total, currently four lanes (can be widened to eight). It is designated as National Expressway NE-5 (Delhi–Katra) and NE-5A (Nakodar–Amritsar).
- Start and end: Starts near Nilauthi, Jhajjar district, on the Kundli Manesar Palwal Expressway, and ends at Amritsar Airport and at Katra.
- Why it helps: Delhi–Katra distance drops from about 727 km to 588 km, cutting travel time from around 14 hours to 6 hours. Delhi–Amritsar distance drops to about 405 km, cutting travel time from about 8 hours to 4 hours.
- Facilities: Will include trauma centers, ambulances, fire brigades, traffic police, bus bays, truck stops, and interchanges with refreshment and recreation facilities.
- Budget and program: Part of the Bharatmala Pariyojana, with an estimated cost of around ₹40,000 crore. A Detailed Project Report (DPR) was completed in November 2019, and land acquisition began in January 2020.
- Partners and planning: DPR consultant is M/S Feedback Infra Pvt Ltd. The project is linked to the Ludhiana–Delhi–Kolkata Industrial Corridor and involves both greenfield and brownfield work across Haryana, Punjab, and Jammu & Kashmir.
- Phases and packages: NHAI has divided construction into two phases with 21 packages. Phase-1 covers Delhi–Nakodar–Gurdaspur (NE-5) and Nakodar–Amritsar (NE-5A). Phase-2 covers Gurdaspur–Katra.
- Key alignments and spur routes: A 20 km extension in Haryana is being prepared to connect to Kanjhawala. A 99 km Nakodar–Amritsar spur passes near Sultanpur Lodhi, Goindwal Sahib, Tarn Tarn, and ends at Amritsar Airport. A Nakodar–Katra spur would go via Kartarpur, Gurdaspur, and Dinanagar.
- Interconnectivity: The project is planned to connect with Dera Baba Nanak and the Kartarpur Corridor. Land acquisition is expected to include about 14,000 acres in Punjab and 5,000 acres in Haryana.

Overall, the Delhi–Amritsar–Katra Expressway aims to shorten travel times, ease traffic on major roads like the Grand Trunk Road, and boost regional development through nearby industrial corridors and linked projects.