The long journey between Lucknow and Varanasi will soon be significantly shorter, with the Central and State Governments jointly upgrading the existing Lucknow-Varanasi Highway into a six-lane corridor at an estimated cost of ₹9,500 crore. Once complete, travel time between the two cities will reduce from six hours to three hours.
A boost for Purvanchal’s connectivity
Lucknow to Varanasi in 3 Hrs 🔥
🔵Lucknow to Varanasi, 295 KMs long NH731 will be converted to 6 Lane now.
🔵NHAI has started the survey, DPR to be prepared in 6 months.
🔵Project Cost ~ ₹10000 CR pic.twitter.com/h2yvufPdPR
— Lucknow Index (@lucknow_index) October 29, 2025
The project is being hailed as a major step forward for passengers, pilgrims and traders across eastern Uttar Pradesh. The highway will begin in Lucknow and pass through Sultanpur, Amethi and Jaunpur before reaching Varanasi, directly linking major districts of Purvanchal.
Investment & timeline
The total cost of the project stands at ₹9,500 crore, ₹3,500 crore for land acquisition and ₹6,000 crore for construction. The DPR has already been prepared, and land acquisition is expected to begin soon. Construction will take place in three phases, with work slated to start next year and completion targeted by 2028.
Project scope & design
The six-lane express corridor will include:
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Modern interchanges, flyovers and bridges
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Access-controlled entry and exit points
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Service lanes for local traffic
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Dedicated infrastructure to support industrial and tourism growth
Challenges ahead
Despite the optimism, officials anticipate several hurdles:
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Land acquisition delays due to compensation and negotiations
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Environmental and social clearances during route expansion
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Construction quality and safety management on a large scale
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Financial overruns in case of unplanned expenditure
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Impact on local communities and roadside settlements
