The 63-km Kanpur-Lucknow Expressway was inaugurated on Monday, and is expected to reduce travel time between Uttar Pradesh’s Capital and its industrial hub from nearly three hours to about 40 minutes.
The greenfield expressway was inaugurated by Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in Unnao.
Built at a cost of Rs 4,200 crore, the six-lane – expandable to eight lanes – National Expressway-6 (NE-6) links Lucknow and Kanpur through a high-speed access-controlled corridor equipped with an Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS). It was developed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).
“The expressway is expected to benefit thousands of daily commuters, including office-goers, students, and traders, besides facilitating quicker movement of agricultural produce and industrial goods. It is expected to spur warehousing, logistics, industrial, and residential development along the route,” the state government said.
Projects worth Rs 60,000 crore approved for UP
Later, Gadkari and Adityanath chaired a review meeting on National Highway projects in Uttar Pradesh. Officials said that 10,204 km of National Highway projects had been awarded in the state since 2014, of which 9,329 km had been completed, with investments of around Rs 1.94 lakh crore.
At the meeting, the leaders also reviewed the ongoing projects, including the Mathura-Bareilly-Sitarganj corridor, Agra-Aligarh four-laning, Kanpur Ring Road, Jewar airport connectivity, Moradabad-Kashipur highway, Sonauli-Gorakhpur project, Prayagraj Southern Ring Road, and Ayodhya Ring Road, besides religious tourism corridors such as the Ram Van Gaman Marg, Ram Janaki Marg and the 84 Kosi Parikrama Marg.
Gadkari directed officials to expedite land acquisition, forest clearances, and utility shifting, stressing that road safety should receive equal priority alongside road construction. He also advocated transplanting trees instead of felling them wherever feasible.
The state government also sought Central support for a proposed North-South Corridor, a new bridge parallel to the Naini Bridge in Prayagraj, and additional ring roads and bypasses across the state. Gadkari said projects worth Rs 50,000-60,000 crore had been approved for Uttar Pradesh and that the target was to execute road works worth around Rs 5 lakh crore over the next two years.
The inauguration took place during a programme where the three leaders also inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for National Highway projects worth over Rs 4,850 crore.
Addressing the gathering, Rajnath Singh said Uttar Pradesh’s development under CM Adityanath had become “a subject of discussion across the country”, while Gadkari said improved law and order had strengthened investor confidence and accelerated infrastructure development in the state.
What commuters should know
-Sources said the expressway will use a barrier-less electronic toll collection system, allowing vehicles to pass through tolling points without stopping.
-Two-wheelers, three-wheelers, and other non-access-controlled vehicles will not be allowed on the expressway.
-The expressway has been equipped with an Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS) capable of automatically detecting vehicles exceeding the 120 kmph speed limit and issuing e-challans.
-Advanced surveillance system: The expressway is equipped with 63 pan-tilt cameras, 21 interchange cameras, 16 video incident detection systems, and two integrated control centres. Officials said the surveillance network is expected to bring emergency response time down to 10-15 minutes.
-Infrastructure: The expressway has 38 underpasses (27 for vehicles and 11 for pedestrians) and five toll plazas.
The expressway has 38 underpasses (27 for vehicles and 11 for pedestrians) and five toll plazas. (Special arrangement)
Proposed toll:
|
Vehicle
|
Single Journey
|
Return Journey
|
|
Cars, jeeps, vans
|
Rs 275
|
Rs 415
|
|
Light commercial vehicles, minibuses
|
Rs 445
|
Rs 670
|
|
Buses and trucks
|
Rs 935
|
Rs 1,405
|
|
Vehicles with seven or more axles
|
Rs 1,785
|
Rs 2,680
|
Monthly pass for light commercial vehicles/minibuses: Rs 14,890.
What is the AIMC model and why does it matter?
Sources said the project will serve as the Centre’s pilot for deploying the Automated and Intelligent Machine-Aided Construction (AIMC) system, with the government now working on a policy to expand its use in future National Highway projects.
According to NHAI officials, the AIMC system uses GPS-guided and sensor-based construction equipment, including motor graders, intelligent compactors and stringless pavers.
Officials said that, unlike conventional road construction, the technology relies on real-time digital monitoring and automated precision, helping improve construction speed without compromising quality.
Officials said the biggest benefit for commuters will be a more uniformly levelled road surface, resulting in a smoother driving experience.
The six-lane access-controlled expressway is expected to cut travel time between Lucknow and Kanpur from around 90 minutes to just 35-40 minutes. (Special arrangement) 
The expressway has 38 underpasses (27 for vehicles and 11 for pedestrians) and five toll plazas. (Special arrangement)
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