Jaipur, July 2 (NationPress) The trial run on the Bandikui-Jaipur Link Expressway, which links the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway to Jaipur, commenced on Wednesday. The travel time from Jaipur to Delhi is now expected to be just 2.5 to 3 hours, providing a quicker and smoother journey experience.

The trial initiated at 8 a.m., with no toll fees applied during this ten-day trial phase.

This state-of-the-art expressway is currently undergoing quality assessments and facility evaluations through these trial runs to identify and address any issues before the official toll collection begins shortly, according to officials. On the inaugural day, the expressway was directly opened for vehicular traffic.

Moreover, the Khuri Interchange has been activated to handle traffic from the Manoharpur-Kauthun highway. If everything proceeds without a hitch, traffic from additional interchanges will also be permitted on the expressway within a day or two.

The expressway spans 67 kilometers and is designed as a four-lane access-controlled road extending from Bandikui in Dausa district to Jaipur in Rajasthan, and it is nearly finalized.

Vehicles will be allowed to travel at speeds of up to 120 km/h on this modern roadway. Notably, construction was completed ahead of schedule.

Once fully operational, this expressway will drastically cut travel time, reducing the journey from Bandikui to Jaipur to merely 25-30 minutes, down from over an hour, which will consequently shorten travel time from Jaipur to Delhi and beyond.

Furthermore, with its connection to the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, the travel time from Gurugram to Bandikui will be minimized to just three hours.

Other routes linked to the expressway include the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, Manoharpur-Kauthun Highway (via the Khuri Interchange), along with additional interchanges that will open soon, depending on the trial's success.

“All arrangements for toll collection are in place. Once we receive the go-ahead from senior authorities, we will commence toll operations,” stated B.S. Joiya, Project Director of the NHAI Dausa Unit.

Officials from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) reported that the 66.91-kilometer Bandikui-Jaipur Expressway was constructed at a cost of Rs 1,368 crore.

Throughout the ongoing trial phase, all vehicles except tractors, motorcycles, and other restricted categories will be allowed to pass without interruption.

Upon full operation, the new expressway is anticipated to significantly decrease travel time, with the journey from Jaipur to Delhi projected to last only 2.5 to 3 hours.

Proposed toll rates (for private vehicles) include Rs 150 for the 66.91 km Jaipur-Bandikui Expressway, Rs 550 to Rs 560 for the complete Jaipur-Bandikui-Sohna stretch, Rs 130 for the Sohna-Gurugram six-lane highway, and Rs 680 to Rs 690 total toll between Jaipur and Delhi.