India Opens 63-km Lucknow-Kanpur Expressway to Reduce Travel Time

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath jointly inaugurated the 63-kilometre Lucknow-Kanpur Expressway on July 13, 2026. The six-lane project, constructed by the National Highways Authority of India, connects Shaheed Path in Lucknow to Chakeri in Kanpur, linking the districts of Lucknow, Kanpur, and Unnao.

Costing between 4,200 and 4,700 crore rupees, the expressway utilizes 3D AMG technology and is India's first barrier-less expressway, featuring a contactless tolling system at four of its five plazas. The infrastructure reduces travel time between the two cities from approximately three hours to between 35 and 50 minutes. It further facilitates regional travel toward Delhi, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, and Nepal.

Alongside the expressway, the leaders inaugurated and laid foundation stones for three National Highway projects valued at over 4,850 crore rupees. Rajnath Singh also announced the inauguration of the Lucknow-Hardoi four-lane expressway and plans to widen the Lucknow-Sitapur road to six lanes. The officials noted that these developments support the Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor by connecting the industrial hub of Kanpur with the administrative center of Lucknow.