KATHMANDU : Traveling from Belahiya, Nepal’s side of the Sunauli border crossing in Rupandehi, to India’s capital New Delhi is expected to take only around eight hours once the Gorakhpur-Sunauli Expressway becomes operational.
The expressway, currently under construction in India, has entered its final phase. Once completed, it is expected to nearly halve the travel time between Belahiya and Delhi.
According to Indian media reports, the New Delhi-Sunauli road journey will be reduced to around eight hours. At present, the trip from Sunauli to Delhi typically takes 13 to 14 hours.
According to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), the 79.54-km Sunauli-Gorakhpur road is being upgraded from a two-lane highway to a four-lane expressway. The project has also been designed to allow future expansion to six lanes.
The project includes several modern infrastructure components aimed at improving traffic flow and reducing travel time. These include flyovers, overbridges and underpasses, making it more than just a conventional highway.
The expressway will also feature an Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS). CCTV cameras, emergency call boxes and electronic display signs will be installed at key locations to improve road safety and traffic management.
The project is being built at an estimated cost of 14.58 billion (Indian Rupees).
Once operational, the expressway is expected to make travel between Nepal and India faster, safer and more convenient. It is also expected to strengthen cross-border trade, tourism and transport connectivity.
