New Delhi, May 28: The Centre has notified the proposed NE-5 Expressway, a high-speed Delhi-Katra corridor aimed at improving connectivity between the National Capital Region and Jammu and Kashmir through Haryana and Punjab.
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways issued the notification under the National Highways Act, 1956, bringing the proposed corridor into the national highways network and paving the way for land acquisition and alignment planning.
According to the notification, the expressway will originate near Rani Khera village in Delhi at its junction with NH-344M and connect with the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal Expressway near Jasaur Kheri village before passing through Haryana and Punjab and terminating near Katra in Jammu and Kashmir.
In Haryana, the corridor will pass through Kharkhoda, Gohana, Butana, Kalayat and Barta. In Punjab, it will traverse Gulzapur, Patran, Bhawanigarh, Dhuri, Malerkotla, Ahmedgarh, Mullanpur Dakha, Nurmahal, Kangsabu, Kartarpur, Gurdaspur bypass and Balsua before linking with NH-144 near Katra.
Officials said the expressway is expected to reduce travel time and improve movement of passengers and freight across northern India.
The project is also expected to support trade and economic activity by improving connectivity to industrial and agricultural regions in Haryana and Punjab. Officials said the corridor could also boost religious tourism, particularly for pilgrims travelling to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra.
The notification comes as part of the Centre’s ongoing expansion of the national expressway network aimed at improving connectivity across economic and strategic corridors.
Officials said the project is likely to generate employment during construction and encourage the development of logistics parks, hotels, industrial hubs and commercial infrastructure along the route.(KNS).
