[pf007]

Originally Posted by Totoro11

Folks any updates on the stretch beyond Lalsot? I am planning to drive to Kota and exited at Lalsot last time, but your posts have given me more hope.

@vharihar how far could you go after getting back on the expressway after Lalsot? Is there any option to connect back to NH-52 after this unofficially open stretch?

The same dead end exit at Lalsot you have take for Kota. I came from Airport to Kota in 6 hrs yesterday via this route with a dinner break.

[Totoro11]

Originally Posted by vharihar

I could go all the way to Sawai Madhopur, just south of it, near a place called Jaisapura, where it cut NH552.

You can see it in Google Maps satellite view

Thanks for your inputs. Unfortunately it was a family emergency and so i had to travel before i saw your reply. Did a roundtrip to Kota on the same day and hence did not want to lose time. I decided to take the known route from the Lalsot exit, state highway and then used NH-52 to get to Kota.

I left at 5.15 am and could cover the distance to Kota in approx 5hrs 30mins (with a 7-min loo break).

Originally Posted by pf007

The same dead end exit at Lalsot you have take for Kota. I came from Airport to Kota in 6 hrs yesterday via this route with a dinner break.

Are you referring to the route mentioned by @vharihar ? If so, which way did you go after exiting NE4 at Jaisapura?

Words of Caution
1. The Delhi-Mumbai Expressway road is not leveled/sloped properly. On the day of my travel, there were early morning rains and water was accumulating on numerous spots. Short-term, it will lead to random splashes and aquaplaning at high speeds. Long-term, water accumulation is bad for the road surface and will create potholes. This highway was built in a hurry, i saw stretches between Dausa & Lalsot where tarmac was being re-laid so soon and there are already reports of concrete chunks falling from under the elevated portions.

2. The highway is full of animals coming under car, but never thought it possible that a bird could get crushed under the wheels. I also had to swerve once to avoid a peacock strolling on the road.

3. Driving NE4 at night is a nightmare in true sense. Trucks of all shapes & sizes, with and without rear reflectors, going in all lanes at their favorite speeds. If a car wants to maintain constant speed, no choice but to weave in and out through the traffic. The problem is compounded by the high speeds at which such overtakes and lane changes happen.

4. The rest stops are still bare bones and cannot be relied upon for food. The traffic has increased but things haven't improved from March to now.

[pf007]

Originally Posted by Totoro11

...

Words of Caution

Completely agree, I saw numerous cars with full family taking pictures not even on the left most lane's. Many of them were driving in the middle, blocking 2 lanes. Travelling time has reduced by 80% but you have to be very cautious and alert from the race drivers.

[ais]

Originally Posted by Totoro11

Words of Caution

I drove from Mumbai-Indore, then Indore to Greater Noida yesterday. I was very keen to check the Expressway and routed via this instead of the Taj Expressway. I entered via Dausa and exited at almost the end of the NH4. Maps on iPhones do not show NH4 yet! Android does.

I was totally disappointed not just with the road but the continuation of lack of clarity in the government's mind. Let me elaborate.

Firstly, the surface of the road is not suitable for maintaining a speed of 120kmph. State roads in MP were better. I tried to test my modded Polo, but I did better on MP roads despite the cows and wayward bikes on them. The surface is uneven and unpredictable.

Secondly, there is no governance on NH4, unlike Mumbai Pune Expressway and others. The overhead speed cameras from the Dausa side were present only for the first 50-60kms, after which there were screens and no cameras. Even in the first few cameras, only 2-3 were working, and only one gave me a readout- 102, OVERSPEEDING! Thankfully, there is no challan showing up yet. I hope it didn't calculate the average speed from the previous camera bar!

Thirdly, as pointed out by others, trucks in the wrong lanes, uneducated drivers, locals sitting on the barriers or crossing the road, dogs etc, are ever-present.

I'll avoid this so-called Expressway in future. Also, after this trip from Mumbai-Panchkula-Mumbai, I'll call it quits on long drives. The days of safe, sane driving have yielded to madness- there is more risk than enjoyment by far.

The government is messing up the environment by constructing these needless and ill-planned highways, nothing else. What a waste. I'd like to see Mr Gadkari or any politician (56" chest or not) self-drive and cover Mumbai to Delhi in 12 hours. I'd rather fly down.

[pf007]

Fatal Accident last Saturday night at NE-4.

I was on the same road on same day and retuned at 8 PM. Yet again many cars with families were having picnics on the left lanes. One good lady crossed the highway towards right on bare feet to PLUCK flowers !

Stringent safety rules, better roads with greater Toll taxes, highest rate of tax on new car purchase in the world but we fail miserably to educate those nerd drivers.

More details on the accident should follow and let's hope the deceased haven't paid price for someone else stupid driving.

May good rest his soul in peace

[ricky_speed]

Travelled from Jaipur to Delhi recently. Quick commentary on the lanes:

- Lane 4 felt unsafe because vehicles including trucks were parked on the shoulder occasionally. It's never okay to stop on the shoulder unless there's an emergency but even team-bhp posts have pictures of cars on shoulders, along with a commentary on how it was safe

- Lane 3 was a geology lesson on how mountains were formed on earth's surface. It appears that the heat of the Indian summer has caused some expansion in the road surface causing small mountains to emerge, especially in this lane. One strike, and it would be a tyre burst.

- Lane 2 was hogged by slow moving trucks. Also full of small stones probably left by an overloaded truck carrying stones or dirt, never to be cleaned again.

- Lane 1 felt unsafe as you can't be doing speed limit next to slow moving trucks in lane 2 (and median on the other side), and you can't be not doing speed limit in an overtaking lane.

Separately, plenty of trucks with no rear lights. If there's a will, nothing can be easier to challan than this on a toll plaza.

I think Yamuna expressway is far more confidence inspiring with a better surface and more lane driving perhaps due to patrol cars? Yet this expressway will still turn out to be safer given the non-cement surface and the lack of confidence will keep people within reasonable speeds.

[Ayush_atish]

Hey Guys. After a long time, I am posting something here. Due to my too busy schedule, I do read everything; however just don't get time to reply. Sorry.

Thank you guys in advance for what I am going to ask.

So basically, I have travel plans from Delhi to Ranthambore, and I am quite interested to checkout out DME. But I have my doubts.

I have heard from threads here and a few of my close friends travelling.

1) Take your food
2) Don't expect good Loo
3) Go Tank Full from Delhi
4) Some good stops near Dausa - Lalsot but nothing exciting
5) Roads are best to stay around 100-110. 120 can be challenging to maintain
6) Theft-free, however careful of animals and insects and, in some places, locals.
7) Very little Patrolling.

Now I have a few questions.

1) I have heard that Lalsot - Jaisapura Stretch is ready but not officially opened. Since I am travelling this month's end, is there any way to know if we can travel to Sawai Madhopur and if the stretch is doable post-Lalsot??

2) If it is, is it advisable? Though we will be around 18 people with nine cars, we don't worry about empty stretches as long as the roads and exit junctions are drivable.

3) In case the car breaks down, is a locally available solution somewhere on this stretch?

4) Since I am a sedate driver and we all will have kids onboard, our primary reason is to cut short the time to travel, so do you think I should take this route?

All the help will be greatly appreciated. This will help me travel in a more planned manner and, of course, will share good memories with my dear MG Hector.

Looking forward to all of your help. Thank you guys...

[Turbanator]

I got a chance yesterday to travel on the Expressway and to Ajmer and beyond. I could well cruise with Assisted driving for almost the entire stretch on the Expressway.



In the Morning time, around 5, there was hardly any traffic. I did not feel anything wrong with the road surface (something definitely to do with the ride quality of i7, as everyone cannot be wrong)

What impressed me was the width of each lane and the availability of 4 lanes plus a small shoulder on the left. They need to do better on the right side, as there is no shoulder for the right lane and no fence. I haven't gone on any of the other highways, but here in North, this will be easily the best.

Dausa exit is connected to NH21, which connects Agra- Jaipur. It's a 4-lane, but we see a heavy rush during the day. Early morning, it was a breeze, though. There are plenty of good restaurants near Dausa if someone wants to break. I didn't check any rest places with food joints in the morning. Around 30-40 Km before Jaipur, you can turn left on Jaipur ring road (new?) and connect on NH48, bypassing the mad rush of Jaipur. This road is tolled, and there is little traffic. The Speed limit for cars is 100.

However, the Jaipur- Kishangarh stretch is currently a mess as many new bridges are being built. I don't understand the logic of ruining an excellent highway - a complete stretch at one go. Why can't they have done it in stages? While going, it took me a little extra, but on return, Kishangarh- Jaipur took me over 2 hours in the evening.

Food/ Charging on Jaipur - Gurgaon.

I entered Jaipur bypass road around 8 P.m. and stopped for Dinner at a lovely place before Dausa.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/t8kkyWKL1eWtzcWM8

This can be a good place for having food while travelling on this highway. They also have a 60KW charger. In addition to this, there are many options around Dausa for food. Once you are on the Expressway from Dausa, there are pumps (both sides) of Indian oil and food places every 30-40 Km. Most of these are operational now so that one can stop anywhere per need. I have not checked the EV charging or fuel as I had topped up at the Hotel before Dausa.

A particular note about long-distance travel in EVs: as mentioned elsewhere, we don't need to worry or plan if your cars have over 400 km range. I started with 96% from home and had 29% at Kishangarh when I stopped for breakfast—similarly, charges were done during lunch, evening tea, and later during Dinner. About 50% left when I returned home after doing around 1000 Km in a day. I didn't stay anywhere longer than it was necessary ( 30-40 Minutes for breakfast, one hour during lunch cum meeting, 30 minutes for evening snacks and an hour for Dinner plus rest) And if someone is wondering, no, the car didn't need one hour for charging ever

Another aspect is the assisted driving feature. I haven't experienced this on any other car and understand this is now available from many manufacturers. I see a great future for these. I was much less tired even after doing 1000 Km in a day, majorly due to that highway, though, but a lot due to assisted driving.

Now, is it worth taking the Expressway over the regular highway? I am unsure, as I haven't gone on the older one for a while. If the road surface quality on the older is kept in good condition and traffic at tolls is managed, the Delhi- Jaipur older highway will be my choice. The Expressway is longer, and if you go to Ajmer, you must cover additional distance. Expressway will be the choice for people travelling beyond Jaipur (when complete) or people who have to travel towards that side of Jaipur (Dausa side)

[Shreyans_Jain]

Originally Posted by Ayush_atish

So basically, I have travel plans from Delhi to Ranthambore, and I am quite interested to checkout out DME. But I have my doubts.

Most of the things you have heard are correct. The rest stops on the expressway offer precious little for food and loos are literally unusable. However, you won’t really need it as Ranthambore is approx 4 hours away now. Travel time is about half of what it used to be from the old route.

You can comfortably cruise at 120 all the way. Mind you, speed cams are working and there are plenty of interceptor vans additionally in the Rajasthan section. Get down at Lalsot, the expressway is anyway barricaded off there. The Lalsot-Ranthambore road is also in good shape.

As for breakdowns, pls make sure your cars are in good shape and tire pressures are proper. You will be doing 110-130 continuously, which means a proper workout for your car. This is very different from the normal 80-110 highway driving, and demands a lot more from your machine. If you suspect your car can break down or is due for some maintenance, pls get it done beforehand.

[Ayush_atish]

Originally Posted by Shreyans_Jain

Most of the things you have heard are correct. The rest stops on the expressway offer precious little for food and loos are literally unusable. However, you won’t really need it as Ranthambore is approx 4 hours away now. Travel time is about half of what it used to be from the old route.

Thank you so much for this update.

Yes, my car is in perfect shape. Just got it serviced. The good thing about MG guys is that they know their car and they know how to serve their customers well. All oils etc. and proper alignment and balancing are done.

For the Loo, it's more for the kids but I guess we will figure.

I understand for the speeds, I feel it will be a comfortable cruise and though I so want to, but will not go beyond 110. Maybe some occasional burst, but not much. Just for the feel of the highway.

Also, someone in the group said that though it is barricaded off, you can still exit the Lalsot junction and rejoin the highway all the way to Sawai Madhopur via the Jaisapura Junction. Is that true? Any info on this? Or is this even recommended?

Food is what we are now planning to take on our own or fill ourselves somewhere near Gurugram. So again, that is the issue resolved

[DxcTripper]

I am planning to go from pune to delhi in first week of October and planning to take the DME. I recently read in the local bhopal news that MP section of DME is now open to public without any inauguration from 20th september onwards.

Can anyone confirm this ? Anyone travelled on MP section of DME ?

[sahil624]

So this came up on my feed today:

https://www.news18.com/india/delhi-v...h-8599953.html

Apparently, the Delhi-Vadodara section of Delhi-Mumbai Expressway has been inaugurated today and open to public. I didn’t expect this section to be operational so soon. Well, I am not complaining, it might be very useful for Diwali time visit. I hope the news is true.

[abhishekjoshi84]

Originally Posted by sahil624

Apparently, the Delhi-Vadodara section of Delhi-Mumbai Expressway has been inaugurated today and open to public.

The stretch between Sawai Madhopur and MP border is not complete, in fact it is far from complete. There are 5 animal overpass of 500m each, 2 river bridges and 5km long tunnel at Mukundra hills, all currently WIP. The animal overpasses and river bridges will complete in first half of next year. The Mukundra tunnel might not complete by mid 2024.

DME is open from Delhi only till Lalsot and from MP-Raj border till Ratlam. One has to take a detour from Lalsot till Bhanpura interchange in MP to join back on DME. This is a long 6 hours stretch(via Tonk-Deoli-Bundi-Kota).

What you saw is misleading info from news channels, beurocrats and politicians alike, probably because if upcoming polls in Raj, MP followed by general elections next year.

[porsche_guy]

Originally Posted by sahil624

Apparently, the Delhi-Vadodara section of Delhi-Mumbai Expressway has been inaugurated today and open to public. I didn’t expect this section to be operational so soon. Well, I am not complaining, it might be very useful for Diwali time visit. I hope the news is true.

I'm not sure if "inaugurated" is to be interpreted as operational. Perhaps the articles are just laying out vague information from some generic source. I travelled on NE1 today evening and the exit for DME was explicitly closed with metal barrels blocking it. Hence, am not fully sure if the stretch has indeed opened or just "inaugurated" for namesake.

Whatever be the case as it stands it doesn't seem like the entire DME will open in a year even at the very soonest.

[gauravanekar]

Is two wheeler allowed in the Dausa-Lalsot stretch. I meant to ask if the road formally open with toll gates? Or is it just left open for two wheelers to enter?