Lucknow-Kanpur Expressway opens, cut travel time to 40 minutes

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath jointly inaugurated the 63-km Lucknow-Kanpur Expressway on Monday in Lucknow. The expressway is expected to reduce travel time between the two cities from over two hours to approximately 40 minutes.

The six-lane expressway, designated National Expressway-6 (NE-6), is the first in the country to be fully equipped with AI-based and modern traffic management systems. The project, estimated to cost around ₹4,500 crore, was approved in December 2020.

Speaking at the event, Minister Gadkari noted that a Detailed Project Report (DPR) was prepared in response to steadily increasing traffic and hours-long jams between Lucknow and Kanpur. The objective, he said, was to provide world-class, safe, and fast connectivity.

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) divided the project into two packages. The first package involved an approximately 18-km elevated section connecting to the Amausi and Shaheed Path areas of Lucknow. Despite challenges such as dense population and land acquisition, engineers completed the section using modern technology. The second package comprised an approximately 45-km greenfield section developed on new land, passing through 11 villages in Lucknow and 31 villages in Unnao.

A key feature of the expressway is its Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF) tolling system, which eliminates traditional toll plazas. Vehicles can travel at speeds up to 120 kmph without stopping, with tolls deducted automatically via FASTag and Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology.

For safety, the expressway is equipped with more than 80 high-definition cameras, 16 Video Incident Detection Systems, and speed radars. If a vehicle exceeds the speed limit, an automatic challan is generated directly from the control room, according to an official government statement.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath thanked the Union ministers and congratulated the people of the state. The foundation stone for a four-lane flyover at Engineering College Chauraha was also laid during the event.