The Delhi–Multan road was an ancient route which existed since the times of Ashoka or earlier, later renovated by Sher Shah Suri (1486–1545) in order to improve transit in the areas between Delhi and Multan. From Multan it led to Kandahar and Herat and eventually to Mashhad, the capital of Khorasan in modern-day Iran, providing access to Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan. Messaging system
There were small posts every few miles where horses were ready to receive messages to send from one post to another. Messages from the Delhi court were reaching Multan, which was around 500 miles away, within days.
Route In India, it passed through the cities of Rohtak, Panipat, Karnal, Kurukshetra, Ambala, Rajpura, Sirhind, Ludhiana, Firozpur, and Hussainiwala. Part from Delhi to Ludhiana falls under National Highway 44 of India. Distance traversed in India is .
In Pakistan, the road went through the cities of Kasur, Raiwind, Lahore, Nankana Sahib, Harapa, Chichawatni, Tulamba, Makhdumpur, Kabirwala and finally Multan. Sher Shah also built a fort in Tulamba to make a strong communication path from Multan to Delhi. Distance traversed in Pakistan is .
Then from Multan it led to Kandahar in Afghanistan, and then on to Herat, traversing another .
Again from Herat it led to Mashhad in Khorasan province of Iran, traversing another .
Finally from Mashhad, it led to modern-day capital of Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, traversing final .
From Delhi to Ashgabat, the road traversed for , and was an important roadway of Asia during medieval period.
See also Grand Trunk Road
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