Mohali, Dec 22: The long-delayed Mohali IT City–Kurali expressway was opened to traffic on Monday, cutting travel time between the two towns by nearly 45 minutes and offering immediate relief to commuters and long-haul drivers.
Built at a cost of ₹1,525.3 crore, the 31.23-km, six-lane access-controlled Greenfield corridor allows vehicles to travel at speeds of up to 100 kmph, enabling signal-free movement between IT City Chowk in Mohali and Kurali.
Officials said the expressway is expected to significantly decongest Mohali’s Airport Road by diverting inter-state and through traffic that does not need to enter Mohali, Kharar or Kurali.
“Vehicles headed towards Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir or other parts of Punjab can now bypass urban stretches entirely,” an NHAI official said.
The expressway features heavy-grade infrastructure, including three major bridges, five minor bridges, seven flyovers, 23 underpasses and 83 culverts. A toll plaza has been constructed near Bajheri village, though toll collection has not yet begun.
The project had faced delays due to monsoon disruptions and a farmers’ protest that blocked the highway in late November. The issue was resolved after the National Highways Authority of India agreed to review local service-road access, officials said.
The corridor is part of Package-2 of the 61.23-km Chandigarh–Ambala six-lane highway project. NHAI officials said the remaining stretch is expected to be completed by May 2026.
