Ahmedabad—Dholera Greenfield Expressway: A lifeline transforming connectivity and opportunity.

New Delhi, February 27, 2026: The Ahmedabad—Dholera Greenfield Expressway (NE-8), stretching 109.019 km, is no longer just a highway project under the Bharatmala Pariyojana—it is emerging as a lifeline connecting villages to cities, families to time, and aspirations to opportunity.

Passing through Ahmedabad and Bhavnagar districts in Gujarat, the expressway provides seamless connectivity to the Dholera Special Investment Region (DSIR) and links with the existing coastal highway network.

Built at a total project cost of Rs 5,800 crore, it represents one of the region’s most significant infrastructure investments.

Currently, the expressway has been opened for public testing, allowing commuters to experience faster and smoother travel while final operational readiness is being assessed.

The expressway will save time for commuters:

For frequent travelers like Narendra Singh Chudasma, who regularly commutes between Gandhinagar and Bhavnagar, the expressway has brought transformative change.

“Earlier, the journey used to take 3.5 to 4 hours. Now I reach within 2.30 to 2.45 hours. Because of long hours on the road earlier, I couldn’t give enough time to my family. Now, the 2 to 2.5 hours I save are spent on them.”

For residents in nearby villages, the psychological distance from Ahmedabad has dramatically shrunk. Harshdeep Singh Chudasma of Pipli villages says:

“Two years ago, we felt that we lived very far from Ahmedabad, as it was almost 120 to 130 km away. But ever since this expressway was built, it feels like we live in Ahmedabad itself. Today, reaching Ahmedabad takes just 45 minutes, compared to two and a half hours earlier.”

Improved connectivity is also accelerating industrial momentum in Dholera. Yaduraj Singh Chudasma believes the expressway has removed a major hurdle for investors.

“With the opening of this expressway, investors can travel easily and save time. Reaching Dholera from Ahmedabad now takes just 45 minutes, which is extremely important. Investors are happy and increasingly eager to invest in Dholera. This highway has removed the connectivity gap that once existed.”

The expressway provides direct connectivity to Dholera International Airport via an interchange at Chainage 67, further strengthening its strategic value.

Building infrastructure, protecting the environment:

A defining feature of the project is its environment-first approach, demonstrating that large-scale infrastructure can grow responsibility.

60 lakh metric tonnes of waste from the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation reused in embankment construction, 22 lakh metric tonnes of fly ash utilized, reducing industrial waste and carbon impact, massive green initiative including 2,70,675 plants in the median, 1,56,097 avenue plantations.

30-metric-wide median designed for future expansion to 8 lanes, close tolling system for seamless travel, 2 modern way-side amenities, planning semi high-speed rail corridor running parallel (30 m ROW already acquired), extensive infrastructure including 3 Railway Over Bridges (ROBs), 11 interchanges, 14 flyovers, 86 underpasses, 224 culverts.

The expressway has significantly reduced travel distance and times—Ahmedabad to Dholera from 100 km & 2 hr 15 min—83 km & 45 min. Ahmedabad to Bhavnagar from 169 km & 3 hr 15 min—141 km & 1 hr 45 min.

 More than a roadway, the Ahmedabad-Dholera Greenfield Expressway is redefining mobility in the region—bringing families closer, accelerating economic opportunity, and building a greener, faster future, one journey at a time.

Also Read: Patna-Purnea Expressway land acquisition process fast-tracked.

EOM.