After multiple delays and revised completion timelines, the ambitious six-lane Lucknow-Kanpur Expressway is finally set to open to the public with its inauguration today, July 13.
Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will attend the inauguration ceremony of the 63-km greenfield expressway. The leaders will also inspect the expressway before officially inaugurating it at the 49-km mark in Unnao.
Here’s what sets the new expressway apart
The Lucknow-Kanpur Expressway will serve as a seamless link between the state capital and one of Uttar Pradesh’s largest industrial hubs, reducing travel time to just 40 minutes from the earlier 2 to 2.5 hours.
One of the key highlights of the expressway is that the NHAI has used automated road construction technology for the first time in the country. The expressway is also equipped with a barrier-free toll collection system, an Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS), and multiple high-end CCTV cameras to enhance traffic monitoring and safety.
Furthermore, special video incident detection systems and two integrated control centres will also be present at the expressway, bringing emergency response time down to 10-15 minutes.
All you need to know about travel and toll prices
Like other access-controlled expressways, two-wheelers, three-wheelers, and other non-permitted vehicles will not be allowed on the Lucknow-Kanpur Expressway. These vehicles will instead continue using the existing highway route.
Toll rates for permitted vehicles are as follows:
- Private 4-wheelers (Cars, Jeeps, Vans): ₹275 (One-way Journey)/₹415 (Return Journey)
- Light commercial vehicles: ₹445 (One-way Journey)/₹460 (Return Journey)
- Buses, Trucks: ₹935 (One-way Journey)/₹1405 (Return Journey)
- Heavy Vehicles (Vehicles with 7 or more axles): ₹1020 (One-way Journey)/₹1530 (Return Journey)
Integrated with Lucknow’s Outer Ring Road for smoother connectivity
The expressway begins near the southern end of Shaheed Path in Lucknow, close to Transport Nagar, and features an elevated stretch near Amausi to bypass city traffic. It then passes through Unnao before terminating at Azad Chauraha in Kanpur, near the Ganga Bridge.
The project has also been integrated with the Lucknow Outer Ring Road, allowing vehicles travelling from Kanpur to head towards Rae Bareli, Sitapur, Hardoi and Sultanpur without entering central Lucknow.
Following today’s inauguration ceremony, the Lucknow-Kanpur Expressway is expected to be opened to the public from July 14, ushering in faster and smoother travel between the two cities.
