The Uttar Pradesh government, is building an ambitious Greenfield expressway that will avoid existing congestion and urban obstacles to reduce the travel time from Noida to Lucknow — from around 6.5 hours at present— to just 3 hours. The anticipated date of completion is by 2026.
Estimated to cost around ₹45,000 crore, the access-controlled, high-speed expressway aims to redefine the mobility, between the state’s most important economic and administrative centres.
Designed for speeds exceeding 120 km/h, the expressway will form part of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s larger vision to attract new investment, and accelerate regional development on a scale comparable to major infrastructure initiatives in countries like China and Germany.
The underlying belief is that people and investments move faster when infrastructure is world‑class. The expressway will be fully access‑controlled, designed to eliminate traffic signals and local interruptions, incorporating smart tolling systems, service lanes, overpasses, and a dedicated traffic management centre to ensure uninterrupted, high‑speed transit. With multiple entry and exit points, it also opens opportunities for markets, towns, and rural economies along its path
All this is part of a larger vision to transform Uttar Pradesh – as India’s expressway capital and accelerate regional development through world-class connectivity.
Uttar Pradesh once labelled a “bimaru” state because of its high crime rate and slow pace of development is now blazing ahead on the path towards expansion of expressway infrastructure for fast track progress and economic development. Once completed the expressway will not only be a landmark in Indian road infrastructure but also catapult Uttar Pradesh in the top global list where expressways have transformed regional economies and urban mobility.
The state already has seven operational expressways—and as many as 15 more including six expressways, which are under construction and nine more proposed expressways. The aim is to redefine mobility across the state by connecting it with a 4,374-km expressway network. At this rate the state will soon account for nearly 60% of India’s access-controlled expressway network.
At the heart of this dynamic effort is the Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA), the institutional backbone enabling rapid execution of these megaprojects
Uttar Pradesh: seven completed expressways:
- Agra–Lucknow Expressway (302 km) – A six-lane, access-controlled corridor connecting Agra to the state capital in under four hours, catalysing tourism, industry, and farm-to-market access across central UP.
- Purvanchal Expressway (340.82 km) – Stretching from Lucknow to Ghazipur, it has opened up eastern UP to faster trade, reduced travel time drastically, and positioned the region for industrial expansion.
- Bundelkhand Expressway (296.07 km) – Connecting Chitrakoot to the Agra–Lucknow Expressway, this route is aimed at unlocking economic potential in the drought-prone Bundelkhand region and linking it to major markets.
- Yamuna Expressway (165 km) – Linking Greater Noida to Agra, this high-speed stretch has become a lifeline for both tourism to the Taj Mahal and freight movement, while also spurring real estate growth along its route.
- Gorakhpur Link Expressway (91.35 km) – Serving as a strategic connector between Gorakhpur and the Purvanchal Expressway, it strengthens eastern UP’s road network and facilitates faster cargo movement.
- Delhi–Meerut Expressway (82 km) – Cutting the travel time between Delhi and Meerut to under an hour, this expressway has eased congestion on NH-58 and boosted NCR’s connectivity with western UP.
- Noida–Greater Noida Expressway (25 km) – A vital urban expressway that has driven the IT, commercial, and residential boom in the Noida region, while offering a seamless link to the Yamuna Expressway.
15 expressways being planned or under construction
Under Construction (6)
1. Ganga Expressway (594 km) – A mega east–west corridor from Meerut to Prayagraj, set to be India’s longest expressway, slashing travel time and connecting western UP to the heart of the state.
2. Gorakhpur Link Expressway (91.35 km) – Connecting Gorakhpur to the Purvanchal Expressway, improving freight flow and travel efficiency in eastern UP. (Partially operational, full completion underway)
3. Chitrakoot Link Expressway (approx. 120 km) – A feeder to the Bundelkhand Expressway, designed to link Chitrakoot with key industrial and religious hubs.
4. Ghazipur–Ballia Link Expressway (approx. 35 km) – Will connect Ballia to the Purvanchal Expressway, enhancing access for easternmost UP districts.
5. Kanpur–Lucknow Expressway (63 km) – High-speed link between UP’s two major cities, expected to reduce the current travel time by nearly half.
6. Gorakhpur–Varanasi Expressway (approx. 180 km) – Planned as a strategic connector between two major eastern UP cities, boosting regional trade and tourism.
Proposed / Planned (9)
7. Prayagraj–Varanasi Expressway (approx. 120 km) – Will connect two of UP’s most important cultural and religious hubs with a high-speed corridor.
8. Lucknow–Varanasi Expressway (approx. 260 km) – Designed to further strengthen east–west movement, reducing pressure on NH-30.
9. Bareilly–Gorakhpur Expressway (approx. 500 km) – A major cross-state artery linking central UP with the Nepal border region.
10. Meerut–Haridwar Expressway (approx. 70 km) – Will improve connectivity between NCR and Uttarakhand’s religious and tourist circuit.
11. Agra–Gwalior Expressway (approx. 100 km) – Part of the NCR–MP connectivity push, facilitating faster trade movement southward.
12. Jhansi–Kanpur Expressway (approx. 195 km) – Aimed at connecting Bundelkhand to central UP’s industrial belt.
13. Aligarh–Kanpur Expressway (approx. 250 km) – Planned to improve movement between western and central UP while bypassing congested NH routes.
14. Delhi–Varanasi Expressway (approx. 800 km) – A high-speed, long-haul route connecting the national capital to one of India’s oldest cities.
15. Lucknow–Bareilly Expressway (approx. 270 km) – Will enhance north–central UP connectivity and reduce traffic on existing highways.
Uttar Pradesh, under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, is scripting a new chapter—where roads aren’t just built, but futures are paved. By aligning expressway infrastructure with industrial clusters and inclusive planning, the state is reimagining mobility as the engine of economic and social transformation.
