Ambala-Mohali six-lane highway to open on January 1

The six-lane Ambala-Chandigarh Greenfield Highway is expected to become operational on January 1, potentially reducing travel time by 40 to 50 minutes for commuters travelling towards Mohali, Chandigarh and neighbouring states.

The first phase of the project will connect Ambala with IT City Chowk in Mohali. Preparations are underway to facilitate the start of traffic movement, with December 31 mentioned as the target in the project update.

The 30-kilometre stretch is expected to ease traffic congestion and provide an alternative route for motorists travelling towards Mohali, Chandigarh, the international airport, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. It is also likely to reduce the dependence on the congested Zirakpur-Dera Bassi stretch.

According to details shared by NHAI Project Director Amit Gupta with Chandigarh MP Manish Tewari, the project has achieved 90.54 per cent physical progress.

The highway was originally scheduled for completion by October 11, 2025. However, the project has faced a delay of more than a year. The revised completion deadline has been set for December 15. Despite the delay, the National Highways Authority of India has not imposed any penalty on the contractor, according to the project details.

Meanwhile, construction of the second phase, which will connect IT City Chowk with Kurali, has commenced ahead of schedule. Once completed, the stretch will provide direct connectivity between Ambala and Kurali through IT City Chowk.

Around 90 per cent of the project’s allocated funds have already been utilised. Environmental measures are also part of the project, with 18,000 trees planned along the road median and another 15,000 saplings in the avenue area. The total plantation target stands at 33,000.

Once operational, the first phase is expected to improve road connectivity and make travel between Ambala, Chandigarh, Mohali and neighbouring states more convenient.