Less than 24 hours left until the Ganga Expressway’s inauguration on April 29, which will be done by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The project, developed by the Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA), is among the most detailed infrastructure undertakings in the state’s history. The foundation stone for the project was laid by PM Modi in Shahjahanpur on December 18, 2021, after it received state cabinet approval in 2020.
From two main toll plazas to 19 entry points across 12 districts, here is everything you need to know about the Ganga Expressway:
Ganga Expressway: Route and length
As per the detailed project report released by UPEIDA, the expressway begins at km 16+000 of the Meerut-Bulandshahr highway (NH-334) near village Bijoli in Meerut district and ends at the Prayagraj Bypass on NH-19 near village Judapur Dando in Prayagraj district. Its precise length, as recorded in the DPR, is 593.947 km.
The alignment passes through 12 districts: Meerut, Hapur, Bulandshahr, Amroha, Sambhal, Badaun, Shahjahanpur, Hardoi, Unnao, Raebareli, Pratapgarh, and Prayagraj. The entire corridor has been divided into 12 construction packages, each covering roughly 49 to 53 km.
Ganga Expressway: Toll plazas and the closed tolling system
Traffic on the expressway will be managed through two main toll plazas, at Meerut and Prayagraj, and 19 ramp toll plazas at intermediate entry and exit points. The project operates on a closed tolling system, the report noted.
The DPR lays out the specific rationale for this choice. Under a closed system, a commuter stops only twice, once at entry and once at exit, and pays based on the distance actually travelled. In an open tolling system, stops at multiple intermediate points would be required. The document also noted that eliminating repeated deceleration and acceleration at toll points reduces fuel consumption over the journey.
As per a report by CNBC TV-18, proposed toll rates are around Rs 2.55 per km for cars, amounting to approximately Rs 1,500 for the full stretch. The actual toll rates are yet to be disclosed by the UP Govt.
Ganga Expressway: Cost and context
The report also added that Package 9 alone, covering 53.1 km in Unnao district, carries a capital cost of Rs 2,755 crore, with a base civil cost of Rs 1,544 crore rising to Rs 1,729 crore after 12% GST. The total project investment across all 12 packages stands at over Rs 36,200 crore.
The Ganga Expressway has been implemented on an Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) mode through competitive bidding, the same model used for the Agra-Lucknow Expressway. UPEIDA’s earlier Yamuna Expressway, by contrast, was developed on a Public-Private Partnership basis. Once operational, travel time between Meerut and Prayagraj is expected to fall from 10–12 hours to 6–7 hours.
Ganga Expressway: Design and lane configuration
According to the report, the expressway has been built as a six-lane, access-controlled greenfield corridor with a design speed of 120 km/h, expandable to eight lanes in the future. All major structures along the alignment have been built to eight-lane specifications, meaning the expansion will not require rebuilding bridges or underpasses. The right-of-way is 120 metres throughout, except at interchange locations, wayside amenities, toll plazas, and airstrip locations, where it varies, the report added.
The report further mentioned that no forest land was found along the route, although some stretches do pass through social forestry. Furthermore, the report also noted that no archaeological or protected structures were identified along the corridor.
Ganga Expressway: 18 access nodes across the corridor
Beyond the two main plazas, the DPR details 18 access nodes, lettered A through R, where the expressway intersects with national highways, state highways, and major district roads. These include trumpet interchanges, double trumpet interchanges, and diamond interchanges at key junctions.
Node A, originally planned near the Delhi-Meerut Expressway at the start of the corridor, has been revised to a dummy node on account of engineering design constraints. Node B at the Meerut-Hapur junction on NH-334 now serves as the effective starting point. Further along, Node M connects the Ganga Expressway with the existing Agra-Lucknow Expressway, and Node R at the Prayagraj Bypass on NH-19 marks the terminal point, according to the report.
The 19 ramp toll plazas correspond to these intermediate nodes, with two lanes on each leg at diamond interchange locations.
Ganga Expressway: Structures along the corridor
The sheer scale of construction becomes clearer when you zoom into just one segment, for example, Package 9, a 53-km stretch between Raiyamau and Sarso in Unnao. In this single stretch alone, the project has built dozens of structures to keep traffic moving smoothly: large and small bridges, nearly 80 culverts to manage water flow, multiple underpasses for vehicles of different sizes, a flyover, and a complex diamond-shaped interchange that allows traffic to switch directions without signals. There is also a planned rail over-bridge to avoid delays at a railway crossing, the report noted.
And this is just one section. Across the entire expressway, engineers have had to cross major rivers like the Ganga and Ramganga, constructing long bridges, almost a kilometre in one case, to carry the road over these wide water bodies.
Airstrip near Shahjahanpur
The report further noted that a 3.5-km airstrip has been constructed near Shahjahanpur to support emergency landing and take-off operations by Indian Air Force aircraft. As per the report, the project uses different types of road surfaces depending on the need. While most of the expressway has a standard flexible surface, areas like the airstrip and toll plazas have been built with a stronger, more durable concrete surface to handle heavier loads and stress.
The airstrip is designed for emergency use, and the Indian Air Force has already carried out a trial landing there to test its readiness.
Wayside amenities
Nine public utility complexes have been developed along the expressway, offering fuel, food, restrooms, and rest areas, as per the report. Each is located at designated chainages along the corridor and is accompanied by its own access infrastructure.
Land acquisition and rehabilitation for Ganga Expressway
Because the expressway is being built on a completely new route, large stretches of farmland had to be acquired. According to the project report, most of the land along the corridor was agricultural.
The report further explained that the plan includes compensation for the affected people by covering their houses, crops, land and loss of livelihood if any.