Preparations are underway for the inauguration of the Lucknow-Kanpur Expressway, which is scheduled for today, July 13.
Published: July 13, 2026, 8:43 AM IST
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Preparations are underway for the inauguration of the Lucknow-Kanpur Expressway(Photo Credit: X@ANINewsUP)
Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath are scheduled to inaugurate the Kanpur-Lucknow Expressway from Unnao today, July 13, 2026, at 3 pm. Once operational, the 63-kilometre expressway will reduce travel time between Lucknow and Kanpur from 2.5 to 3 hours to just 35 to 45 minutes. Thus, the Kanpur-Lucknow Expressway will offer faster and smoother connectivity between the two cities.
When will the Lucknow-Kanpur Expressway be inaugurated?
Earlier on Sunday, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav alleged that the Rs 4,700 crore Lucknow-Kanpur Expressway had caved in before its opening. Taking to X, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav wrote, “Expressways are built so that people can drive fast and carefree, not so that they chant God’s name all along the route. In the BJP government, the Lucknow-Kanpur Expressway, built at a cost of 4700 crores, sank even before its inauguration; meanwhile, in BJP’s own government in Maharashtra, the 6700-crore “Missing Link” project turned into a complete mess, earning it worldwide notoriety as the “connecting link” between the BJP government and the corrupt.”
What did Akhilesh Yadav say about the Lucknow-Kanpur Expressway?
“Is there a “grand corruption competition” underway in BJP-ruled states? Did Lucknow folks design both of these? The time it will take to travel between the two cities will be less than the time it takes to enter the city from the expressway. The public is asking: Is this designed for the convenience of the people, or to make profits for BJP-aligned contractors? If this state persists due to corruption, passengers will think twice—forty times over—before setting out on a 40-minute journey. If speed isn’t safe, it means nothing,” the post further reads. The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister asked whether the Lucknow-Kanpur Expressway was designed for public convenience or to benefit contractors linked to the BJP.
एक्सप्रेसवे इसलिए बनते हैं कि लोग तेज़ी से बेफ़िक्र होकर चलें, इसलिए नहीं कि लोग रस्ते भर ऊपरवाले का नाम जपें।
भाजपा सरकार में इधर 4700 करोड़ से बना लखनऊ-कानपुर एक्सप्रेसवे उद्घाटन से पहले धँसा, उधर भाजपा की ही सरकार में महाराष्ट्र में 6700 करोड़ में बना ‘मिसिंग लिंक’ का… pic.twitter.com/7EHUFu7akx
— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) July 12, 2026
However, dismissing the claims, the National Highways Authority of India stated that the expressway is constructed in accordance with all the prescribed quality standards and is completely safe. The BJP accused Yadav of making baseless statements on development projects to stay relevant. Reacting to Yadav’s allegations, the National Highways Authority of India’s (NHAI) Project Director Nakul Prakash Verma asserted that there was no subsidence anywhere on the project. “Where has it caved in? It has not caved in anywhere,” Verma said, adding that the Expressway would be opened to the public from 8 am on July 14, news agency PTI reported.
“Once the Expressway is opened, the truth will become evident. If I am wrong, the public itself will expose it,” he said. Verma said the photographs of subsidence being circulated on social media were not of the main carriageway but of the roadside earthen embankment, describing it as a routine maintenance matter. The Lucknow-Kanpur Expressway is the first expressway connecting the two large metropolitan cities of Uttar Pradesh. According to the NDTV report, nearly 30% of the expressway has been constructed as an elevated corridor, enhancing traffic flow and making it one of the most important projects in terms of modern transport infrastructure.
What is the total cost of the Lucknow-Kanpur Expressway project?
3D Automated Machine Guidance (AMG) technology was used during the construction of the Lucknow-Kanpur Expressway. This marks a major development in road construction techniques. It also has a significant three-expressway interchange that enhances connectivity and benefits the commuters from various districts of Uttar Pradesh.
Prior to the inauguration, a team of officials visited the site to review the final preparations for the inauguration. The inspection was led by DM Ghanshaym Meena and SP Jai Prakash Singh along with other officials.
The Lucknow-Kanpur expressway at present is a six-lane corridor, with the infrastructure designed to allow future expansion to eight lanes. The expressway will be replacing the busy segment of NH-27 that connects Lucknow with Kanpur with a travel length of 94 km, thus allowing travelers to reach their destinations faster and prevent wasting fuel.
The authority has granted permission for vehicles to run at a speed of 120 kmph, thereby enhancing faster connectivity between two important industrial and administrative centers in the state of Uttar Pradesh. This expressway is constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 4700 crore and is considered to be a significant highway project of Uttar Pradesh. According to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), the foundation stone was initially laid in March 2019 and then again on January 5, 2022. The corridor was officially recognized as National Expressway 6 in December 2020.
