Expressway Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh, India’s fourth largest state and one of its fastest-growing economies, has a population of over 200 million and the country’s largest labour force. The state ranks among the top manufacturing hubs, holds the highest number of MSMEs, and stands near the top nationally in Ease of Doing Business. Leveraging these strengths, the government launched the Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor (UP DIC) to promote indigenous defence production and reduce India’s dependence on foreign aerospace and defence imports.
The corridor is a strategic initiative aimed at building a modern defence manufacturing ecosystem, attracting private and global investment, encouraging advanced technology transfer, and creating large-scale employment. It aligns with India’s broader goal of defence self-reliance and industrial modernization.
The project operates under the leadership of Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, and Yogi Adityanath, Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. Implementation and coordination are managed by the Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA) in collaboration with the state’s Industrial Development Department.
Key Administrative Leadership
The Uttar Pradesh expressway and industrial corridor projects are guided by a strong administrative leadership team that oversees planning, finance, execution, and policy coordination. This leadership ensures efficient implementation of large-scale infrastructure initiatives under UPEIDA and the Industrial Development Department.
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Name |
Designation |
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Nand Gopal Gupta 'Nandi' |
Cabinet Minister |
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Jaswant Singh Saini |
Minister of State |
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Shashi Prakash Goyal |
Chief Secretary of UPEIDA |
|
Deepak Kumar |
IIDC & CEO of UPEIDA |
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Srihari Pratap Shahi |
Additional CEO |
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Shashank Chaudhary |
Additional CEO |
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Shri Sanjay Kumar Singh |
Finance Controller |
Agra–Lucknow Expressway
The Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA) represents one of the most ambitious infrastructure initiatives undertaken by the Government of Uttar Pradesh. Established in 2007 under the UP Industrial Area Development Act, 1976, UPEIDA was created to plan, develop, and manage expressway-based industrial corridors. Its flagship achievement, the Agra–Lucknow Expressway, stands as a symbol of rapid modernization, efficient connectivity, and forward-looking transport policy.
Vision and Strategic Importance
The Agra–Lucknow Expressway is a 302.222 km long, six-lane (expandable to eight lanes) fully access-controlled greenfield expressway. Designed as a high-speed corridor, it connects the state capital Lucknow with Agra and further integrates with the Yamuna Expressway toward New Delhi. This corridor has drastically reduced travel time between Agra and Lucknow to approximately three hours, and around five and a half hours to Delhi.
Beyond faster travel, the expressway has generated economic benefits by lowering fuel consumption, reducing logistics costs, and cutting carbon emissions. It has strengthened industrial and tourism connectivity across key districts including Firozabad, Mainpuri, Etawah, Auraiya, Kannauj, Kanpur Nagar, Hardoi, and Unnao.
Engineering Excellence and Design
The expressway features a divided carriageway with all major structures pre-designed for eight lanes, ensuring seamless future expansion. Multiple interchanges connect major roads, while underpasses are constructed for vehicles, pedestrians, and animals to maintain uninterrupted local movement.
A unique feature of the project is the provision of an emergency airstrip capable of landing fighter aircraft, demonstrating strategic defense utility. Solar-powered lighting, rainwater harvesting systems, and large green belts along the corridor highlight the project’s emphasis on sustainability.
User Facilities and Wayside Amenities
To enhance traveler convenience, four modern wayside amenities have been developed—two along each carriageway. These facilities include:
Safety, Security, and Smart Monitoring
Safety management on the expressway is highly advanced. UPEIDA maintains 24×7 patrolling using trained ex-servicemen, ambulances, and emergency vehicles. Dedicated police patrol vans and private toll agency vehicles add additional layers of security. The Advanced Traffic Management System includes:
Cost, Construction, and Completion
The total project cost was ₹11,526.73 crore (excluding land). Construction began in early 2015 and, although the contract allowed 36 months, the project was completed in record time. The expressway was inaugurated on 21 November 2016, marking one of India’s fastest large-scale infrastructure completions.
Economic and Regional Impact
The expressway has accelerated regional development by:
Purvanchal Expressway: Connecting Eastern Uttar Pradesh
The Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA) developed the Purvanchal Expressway to accelerate growth in eastern Uttar Pradesh and connect the region directly with Lucknow and onward to Delhi via the Agra–Lucknow and Yamuna expressway corridors.
The expressway starts from Village Chand Sarai on NH-731 in Lucknow district and ends near Village Haidaria on NH-19 in Ghazipur district, close to the UP–Bihar border. It is a 340.824 km long, fully access-controlled six-lane expressway designed for high-speed travel. The total project cost is ₹22,494.66 crore, including land acquisition.
The corridor passes through nine districts: Lucknow, Barabanki, Amethi, Sultanpur, Ayodhya, Ambedkar Nagar, Azamgarh, Mau, and Ghazipur. For efficient execution, the project was divided into eight construction packages. Contracts were awarded in October 2018 with a planned completion period of 36 months.
Despite disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, construction progressed rapidly. The expressway was officially inaugurated on 16 November 2021 by the Prime Minister at the Kurebhar airstrip in Sultanpur. The project has significantly improved connectivity in eastern Uttar Pradesh, reduced travel time, boosted trade and logistics, and opened new opportunities for industrial and agricultural development.
Bundelkhand Expressway
The Bundelkhand Expressway is a major greenfield, access-controlled corridor developed to accelerate economic and social development in the Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh. The project was designed to improve connectivity in historically underdeveloped districts such as Chitrakoot, Banda, Hamirpur, and Jalaun, and to link Bundelkhand directly with Delhi through the Agra–Lucknow and Yamuna expressway network.
The expressway begins near Bharatkoop on NH-35 in Chitrakoot district and ends near Kudrail village in Etawah district, connecting to the Agra–Lucknow Expressway. Its total length is 296.07 km. The corridor benefits seven districts: Chitrakoot, Banda, Mahoba, Hamirpur, Jalaun, Auraiya, and Etawah.
Inaugurated on 16 July 2022 by Narendra Modi in Jalaun district, the expressway is built as a four-lane highway expandable to six lanes, with all major structures already designed for six lanes. The right of way is 110 meters wide, and a staggered service road supports local village transport.
The route crosses important rivers including the Bagen, Ken, Yamuna, Betwa, and Sengar, and includes extensive infrastructure: railway overbridges, large and small bridges, toll plazas, ramp plazas, and flyovers. Beyond transportation, the expressway is expected to attract industry, improve logistics, create employment, and strengthen regional integration.
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Feature |
Description |
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Starting Point |
Near Bharatkoop, District Chitrakoot |
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End Point |
Near Kudrail village, NH-91 (Etawah-Bewar Road) |
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Total Sanctioned Length |
296.07 km |
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Right of Way (ROW) |
110 Meters |
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Carriageway |
4 lanes initial (Expandable to 6 lanes); all structures built for 6 lanes |
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Access Control |
Total Access Controlled Expressway |
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Service Roads |
Provision for continuous/staggered service roads included |
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Safety Provisions |
Dedicated underpasses for Vehicles, Pedestrians, and Animals |
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Districts Covered |
Chitrakoot, Banda, Mahoba, Hamirpur, Jalaun, Auraiya, and Etawah |
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Project Packages |
Divided into 6 construction packages |
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Implementation Mode |
EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) |
Gorakhpur Link Expressway: Latest Project Status
The Gorakhpur Link Expressway is a strategic connector project designed to link eastern Uttar Pradesh with the high-speed expressway network and strengthen economic and cultural connectivity between Gorakhpur and Azamgarh. It connects directly to the Purvanchal Expressway, integrating the region into the state’s major transport grid.
The expressway begins near Jaitpur on NH-27 in Gorakhpur district and ends at Salarpur in Azamgarh district. Its total length is 91.352 km and it is a fully access-controlled four-lane corridor expandable to six lanes, with all major structures designed for future expansion. The approved project cost is ₹7,283.28 crore, including land acquisition.
The route passes through Gorakhpur, Sant Kabir Nagar, Ambedkar Nagar, and Azamgarh districts. The project was divided into two implementation packages, developed by APCO Infrastructure Pvt. Ltd. and Dilip Buildcon. Construction has been underway since February 2020, and over 99% of required land had been acquired by mid-2022, while environmental and forest clearances were processed in parallel.
The expressway was inaugurated on 20 June 2025 by Yogi Adityanath at sites in Gorakhpur and Azamgarh. Implemented under EPC mode, the project includes underpasses for vehicles, pedestrians, and animals, service roads, major bridges, and a 110-meter right of way. A future link road will connect the corridor toward Varanasi.
This expressway significantly improves travel efficiency, reduces congestion, and supports trade and mobility in eastern Uttar Pradesh, bringing remote populations closer to growth centers and expressway-led development.
Yamuna Expressway
The Yamuna Expressway is a 165.5 km long, six-lane (expandable to eight lanes) fully access-controlled expressway in Uttar Pradesh connecting Greater Noida with Agra. It is one of India’s longest high-speed corridors and was built to reduce congestion on the old Delhi–Agra highway (NH-2). The project involved an investment of about ₹12,839 crore and was inaugurated in August 2012 by then Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav.
Development and Construction
The expressway was developed by the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA) and constructed by Jaypee Infratech Limited in three phases. Construction began in 2008 and was completed in 2012 after several delays. Originally called the Taj Expressway, it was renamed Yamuna Expressway in 2008.
Safety and Smart Features
The expressway is equipped with modern safety infrastructure:
Military Use
In a historic event in 2015, the Indian Air Force successfully landed a Dassault Mirage 2000 on the expressway near Mathura, demonstrating its capability for emergency military operations.
Connectivity and Future Development
The expressway drastically reduced travel time between Greater Noida and Agra from around 4 hours to about 1 hour 40 minutes. It connects onward to Lucknow via the Agra–Lucknow Expressway and is integrated with regional infrastructure planning, including metro connectivity and real estate development zones.
YEIDA is also promoting affordable housing, commercial hubs, and industrial growth along the corridor, making the expressway a major catalyst for urban and economic expansion.
Ganga Expressway
The Ganga Expressway is a massive greenfield infrastructure project under construction in Uttar Pradesh, planned as a 999 km long, six-lane (expandable to eight lanes) access-controlled corridor running broadly along the Ganges basin. It is designed to connect the western and eastern ends of the state, creating one of India’s longest expressways and a backbone for economic integration across Uttar Pradesh.
Project Structure
The project is divided into two major phases:
The corridor is expected to transform freight movement, industrial logistics, and inter-city travel across central and eastern Uttar Pradesh.
History and Development
The expressway was first proposed in 2007 by then Chief Minister Mayawati, but the project stalled for several years. It was revived in 2019 under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, with an initial allocation of ₹2,000 crore.
Implementation is being handled by the Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA). Land acquisition began in 2019 and was largely completed by 2021. Environmental clearance was granted by the central government the same year, and the Uttar Pradesh Cabinet approved a budget exceeding ₹36,000 crore.
On 18 December 2021, the foundation stone was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Shahjahanpur. Full-scale construction began in April 2022.
Significance
The Ganga Expressway is expected to:
Once completed, it will serve as a mega transport spine for Uttar Pradesh, linking major cities and enabling expressway-led industrial growth on an unprecedented scale.
