Potholes On Delhi-Dehradun Expressway Were Repaired Without Any Expenditure To Govt: Nitin Gadkari In RS

Last Updated:July 23, 2026, 12:36 IST

Built at an estimated cost of Rs 12,000 crores, the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in April 2026

The Centre acknowledged in Parliament that two potholes were found on the newly constructed Delhi-Dehradun Expressway months after its inauguration, saying the repair work had been carried out by the contractor at its own cost.

The statement came after visuals from near Shamli emerged, showing that a portion of the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway had experienced a major dent and suffered damage. The video that made rounds on social media raised serious questions about the quality of material used in such critical infrastructure, while also triggering concerns about the safety of national highways.

Built at an estimated cost of Rs 12,000 crores, the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in April 2026. It aims at reducing travel time from Delhi to Uttarakhand’s gateway from 6 hours to just 2.5 hours.

Nitin Gadkari Responds

Responding to a query raised by Rajya Sabha MP Ashok Singh, Union Road Transport and Highways Minster Nitin Gadkari said the Delhi-Dehradun highway fell under a 10-year defect liability period.

“Two potholes were detected during this period and repaired by the contractor as part of its contractual responsibility, without any expenditure by the government", he said.

However, he did not clarify whether the potholes that he referred to were linked to the dent visible in the viral clips from near Shamli, Uttar Pradesh. He did not disclosed what had caused the potholes.

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) had said the cave-in near Shamli was caused by localised water stagnation and constraints in commissioning the permanent cross-drainage system at the location.

According to the NHAI, a balancing culvert had been constructed to carry rainwater away from the carriageway. However, authorities failed to commission it as locals were using the culvert opening as a vehicular crossing.

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