Uttar Pradesh is set for a major infrastructure push after Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari reviewed key highway projects in the state and approved new road works worth ₹50,000–60,000 crore.
The announcement came after a review meeting with senior officials from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), and the Uttar Pradesh government.
Later, Gadkari, along with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, inaugurated the Lucknow–Kanpur Expressway. While addressing the gathering, he announced several new road projects for Uttar Pradesh.
Gadkari said that road projects worth ₹5 lakh crore will be completed in the state over the next two years, along with the newly approved works worth ₹50,000–60,000 crore.
Here are some of the key projects announced:
Rs. 3,400 cr for Ayodhya–Gonda Road & Gonda Bypass
Among the major announcements was the approval of the Ayodhya–Gonda four-lane road project along with the Gonda Bypass at an estimated cost of ₹3,400 crore.
Gadkari said the government is aiming to begin construction on the project within this year.
₹4,600-Crore Agra–Gwalior Greenfield Expressway
The Centre has approved the ₹4,600-crore Agra–Gwalior greenfield six-lane Expressway. The project aims to provide faster and smoother connectivity between the two important cities.
Once completed, the expressway is expected to reduce travel time between Agra and Gwalior from around three hours to nearly one-and-a-half hours.
Service Roads Along Lucknow’s Kisan Path
The Union Minister also announced that service roads will be constructed along the Kisan Path in Lucknow to improve local connectivity and ease traffic movement.
He said the final design will be presented to Adityanath and Singh before the project is finalised.
Major highway projects progressing on schedule
Nitin Gadkari also said that several key National Highway projects in Uttar Pradesh are progressing as per schedule.
These include the ₹13,980-crore Mathura–Bareilly–Sitarganj four-lane highway, the ₹5,904-crore Agra–Aligarh four-lane highway, the Agra–Gwalior–Jhansi–Nagpur Economic Corridor, the Kanpur Ring Road, the six-lane connectivity project to Noida International Airport at Jewar, and the Moradabad–Kashipur four- and six-lane highway.
These projects will improve connectivity between the National Capital Region (NCR), western Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and major industrial and logistics hubs.
Future road projects under review
The meeting also reviewed several upcoming projects. Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) are being prepared for:
– Ayodhya–Gonda four-lane National Highway
-Rewa–Ranchi four-lane National Highway
-A proposed 742-km access-controlled four-lane highway from Shamli to Gorakhpur
Officials also updated the minister on progress of projects such as the Deva–Fatehpur four-lane road, Vrindavan Bypass, Kasia–Paniahwa National Highway, Hadia Chauraha–Karmaini Ghat road, Kudarkot–Bela Chowk road, Colonelganj and West Gonda bypasses, and the proposed elevated corridor from Ramadevi to Gol Chauraha in Kanpur.
Plans to expand the National Highway Network
The review meeting also discussed plans to expand the National Highway network across Uttar Pradesh.
The proposals include upgrading two-lane and narrow roads in phases, providing four-lane connectivity from Lucknow to districts and connecting 33 district headquarters through four-lane National Highways.
The government also plans to develop ring roads in Moradabad, Aligarh, Devipatan, Jhansi, Mirzapur and Saharanpur, along with bypasses in Farrukhabad, Shravasti and Maharajganj.
₹7,000-Crore Barabanki–Bahraich Highway
Gadkari also announced that the tender for the ₹7,000-crore Barabanki–Bahraich four-lane highway has been awarded and construction work on the project will begin soon.
The highway is expected to improve road connectivity between Barabanki and Bahraich and provide smoother movement of traffic in the region.