India is building some of the most advanced highways and expressways, and one such project stands out due to its challenging route. This expressway passes through the Thar Desert — the world’s second-largest desert — and stretches for about 650 kilometres, where sand will be visible on both sides throughout the journey. It is expected to become the second-longest road in the country. Most of the work on this expressway has been completed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), and it is likely to open by December this year.
The route in discussion is part of the Amritsar-Jamnagar Expressway, which connects Punjab to Gujarat and serves as an industrial corridor between the two states. This expressway is being developed in three sections, with the largest segment passing through Rajasthan — right through the heart of the Thar Desert. It’s fair to say that NHAI is carving a path through the desert to build this massive expressway.
Why Is This Route Considered Difficult?
The Amritsar-Jamnagar Expressway is 1,257 kilometres long and is being built as a 6 to 8-lane road. Its longest section lies in Rajasthan, entering from Sangaria town in Hanumangarh district and passing through Bikaner, Jodhpur, and Barmer, before ending near Sanchore in Jalore district. This stretch is about 655 kilometres long, mostly cutting across desert areas. Rajasthan has 12 districts with significant desert regions, and the expressway passes through five of them.
What Makes This Expressway Special?
Currently, the journey from Amritsar (Punjab) to Jamnagar (Gujarat) takes around 26 hours. Once this expressway is complete, the travel time will reduce to just 12–13 hours. Right now, crossing just the Rajasthan section can take up to 12 hours, but the entire route will be covered within that same time after completion. The expressway will also pass through several districts in Punjab, Haryana, and Gujarat.
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Route Close to Pakistan Border
The Amritsar-Jamnagar Expressway is being constructed close to the Pakistan border. It will not only enhance connectivity between the industrial cities of Amritsar and Jamnagar but also create a direct road link from Gujarat to Kashmir. It will be connected to the Delhi-Katra Expressway, which passes near Amritsar. This means that one can travel by road from Gujarat to Kashmir via Amritsar and Katra. The total cost of the project is estimated at around ₹80,000 crore.