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NHAI to Invest Over Rs 150 Bn in UP Highways Overhaul

2025-01-28

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is set to embark on highway projects worth more than Rs 150 billion to boost cargo and passenger traffic across Uttar Pradesh, according to a senior state official.

Key districts such as Kanpur, Bareilly, Barabanki, Bahraich, Agra, Aligarh, and Gorakhpur will benefit from these developments, which will supplement ongoing highway and expressway initiatives.

“While the detailed project reports (DPRs) for some projects are finalised, others are in the final stages of bidding,” the senior official explained, noting the total budget for these schemes is around Rs 155 billion.

Meanwhile, the much-awaited Lucknow-Kanpur Expressway, being constructed by NHAI, is expected to be completed by July 2025. This project will ease traffic congestion between the industrial city of Kanpur and the state capital, Lucknow.

The 594-km Ganga Expressway, initially aimed for completion by the Maha Kumbh, is now projected for launch by March-April 2025. With a cost exceeding Rs 36,000 crore, the project is being developed by the UP Expressway Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA).

Additionally, an airstrip on the Ganga Expressway is being designed for emergency landings and takeoffs of Indian Air Force (IAF) planes. Similar facilities are already available at the Agra-Lucknow and Purvanchal expressways.

Once the Ganga Expressway and the 91-km Gorakhpur Link Expressway are finished, UP will boast nine access-controlled expressways, spanning over 1,900 km. The state currently manages about 47 per cent of India’s expressway network.