A newly built section of the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway in Delhi has opened to traffic on a trial basis, offering a new route from Sarai Kale Khan and the DND Flyway towards Faridabad and, eventually, Jaipur. The trial is expected to run for about a month before the stretch is formally opened, according to .

The trial began on Friday on the carriageway leading towards Faridabad through Jaitpur and Meethapur. Traffic officials said the new corridor could ease pressure on Mathura Road and provide an alternative for commuters travelling from Delhi, Noida and Ghaziabad towards Haryana and Rajasthan.

The Delhi portion under trial is nearly 9 km long, with around 7.5 km built as an elevated road. The remaining section is at ground level and includes a 140-metre structure crossing the Agra Canal, according to traffic officials cited by .

The road connects with the Ring Road and DND Flyway around Sarai Kale Khan-Maharani Bagh, allowing motorists to head towards Faridabad via south Delhi.

Additional commissioner of police (Traffic) Dinesh Kumar Gupta said, “The trials are being conducted to assess the road and traffic arrangements before full opening. As of now, the trials are only on the carriageway going towards Faridabad via Jaitpur. Once operational, the corridor is expected to give commuters travelling towards Faridabad and Jaipur from Delhi and Noida a smooth and traffic-free drive. It will also help in curbing traffic snarls on the Mathura Road.”

The new corridor is expected to reduce congestion on Mathura Road, which carries heavy traffic between Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.

Residents of New Friends Colony, Sukhdev Vihar, Sarita Vihar and Kalindi Kunj could benefit from the additional route. Commuters from Noida and Ghaziabad travelling towards Faridabad may also be able to avoid the frequently congested Kalindi Kunj crossing.

The Delhi section has two planned entry and exit points, at Jaitpur and Meethapur. These access points are currently closed during the initial trial.

An NHAI engineer deployed along the road said, “As of now, we have kept the entry-exit points closed in Delhi during the trials, and only motorists travelling to Faridabad and beyond are being asked to use the corridor. The points may be opened during further trials. Motorists are being asked to maintain a speed of 40kmph.”

The National Highways Authority of India has not formally announced the trial run, although an NHAI official confirmed to that the road was ready for limited public use.

“The road is ready for public use on a trial basis. The date of formal inauguration cannot be commented upon,” the official said.

Traffic authorities have deployed personnel at the corridor's zero point to direct motorists towards Faridabad and Jaipur.

A traffic officer said only a limited number of motorists used the route on Friday, the first day of the trial, although traffic increased on Saturday.

The authorities are using the trial period to assess traffic movement, road readiness and arrangements before deciding on the formal opening of the corridor. Until then, motorists using the newly opened carriageway are being directed towards Faridabad and beyond, with a 40 kmph speed limit in place.

Once fully operational, the Delhi section is expected to provide an additional connection for traffic heading towards Faridabad and Jaipur while reducing pressure on some of south Delhi's busiest roads.

Stay updated with the latest Trending, India, World and US news.

Download the Mint app and read premium stories

Log in to our website to save your bookmarks. It'll just take a moment.

Oops! Looks like you have exceeded the limit to bookmark the image. Remove some to bookmark this image.