UP govt's ambitious 594 km long Ganga Expressway project nears completion

Lucknow: The Ganga Expressway is on track to become the second-longest expressway in the country.

Scheduled for completion by December 2024, the expressway aims to enhance connectivity between eastern and western Uttar Pradesh and facilitate the grand Maha Kumbh 2025, which will see millions of devotees and tourists from around the world visiting the festival.

These 594 km-long expressways, stretching from Bijauli in Meerut to Judapur Dandu in Prayagraj, will significantly cut both the distance and travel time between Western and Eastern Uttar Pradesh.

The Ganga Expressway, currently under construction at a cost of Rs 36,230 crore, will span 12 districts of Uttar Pradesh.

Covering approximately 7,453.15 hectares, the expressway will traverse 518 villages. Initially designed as a six-lane expressway, it will later be expanded to eight lanes, with a right-of-way width of 120 meters, enabling a design speed of 120 kilometres per hour.

The construction of the expressway is divided into four segments. The Meerut-Badaun section (129.70 km) is being built by M/s IRB Infrastructure. The remaining three segments — Badaun-Hardoi (151.70 km), Hardoi-Unnao (155.70 km), and Unnao-Prayagraj (156.85 km) — are being constructed by M/s Adani Infrastructure.

The target for completing the main carriageway of the Ganga Expressway is set for December 31, 2024, with the remaining works slated for completion by November 2025.

As of June 2024, soil work on the main carriageway has reached over 82 per cent completion across all four sections, averaging 3.85 lakh cubic meters per day.

The complexity of the Ganga Expressway project is evident, with significant engineering feats such as a 960-meter-long bridge over the Ganga River between Meerut and Badaun, and a 720-meter-long bridge over the Ramganga River between Badaun and Hardoi, both of which are currently under construction.

The Ganga Expressway will feature 14 major bridges, 7 rail overbridges (ROBs), and 32 flyovers.

Additionally, it will include a 3.5-kilometre airstrip near Jalalabad in Shahjahanpur, capable of accommodating large Boeing aircraft in emergencies.

The expressway will also have two main toll plazas located in Meerut and Prayagraj, along with 15 ramp toll plazas at various points along the route.

Furthermore, nine public facilities complexes will be established to serve travellers.