13 July,2026 02:05 PM IST | Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) | mid-day online correspondent
The combined cost of the project is over Rs 4,850 crore. Pic/ X
Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will jointly inaugurate the 63-kilometre Lucknow-Kanpur Expressway on Monday, marking a major milestone in the state's infrastructure development and road connectivity.
The leaders will also inaugurate and lay the foundation stones for three National Highway projects with a combined cost of over Rs 4,850 crore, ANI reported.
Ahead of the inauguration, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari described the Lucknow-Kanpur Expressway as a "historic achievement" that would give a new direction to Uttar Pradesh's connectivity.
In a post on X, Gadkari wrote, "Kanpur-Lucknow Expressway: A Historic Achievement Giving New Direction to Uttar Pradesh's Connectivity!"
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said the projects would strengthen infrastructure, improve connectivity, and accelerate economic growth in the state.
"When roads are better, along with the reduction in distances, the pace of development accelerates, new avenues for investment open up, and new possibilities permeate everyday life," Yogi wrote on X.
He added that the inauguration and foundation stone-laying of the three National Highway projects, worth over Rs 4,850 crore, would mark a new chapter in modern infrastructure, seamless connectivity, and rapid economic progress in Uttar Pradesh.
Rajnath Singh, who represents Lucknow in the Lok Sabha, said the completion of the expressway would significantly reduce travel time between the two cities.
"Today, I will be on a visit to my parliamentary constituency, Lucknow. There, I will be present at the inauguration ceremony of the Lucknow-Kanpur Expressway. After the completion of the Lucknow-Kanpur Expressway, the journey between Lucknow and Kanpur will now be completed in just 45 to 50 minutes. Certainly, this expressway will be quite convenient for the public," Singh wrote on X.
During his visit, Singh will also attend the convocation ceremony of King George's Medical University (KGMU).
Meanwhile, Unnao Superintendent of Police Jai Prakash Singh said elaborate security arrangements have been made for the visit of the three dignitaries.
"The road connecting Lucknow, which has been constructed by the NHAI, is now being inaugurated. A significant portion of it lies within the Unnao district. As a result, the movement of three VIPs is scheduled for tomorrow - the Chief Minister, the Defence Minister, and the Transport Minister of the Government of India," he said.
The programme is scheduled to begin around 3:30 pm. Police personnel have been deployed at key locations and briefed to ensure smooth conduct of the event, he added.
According to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), the Kanpur-Lucknow Expressway will provide faster, smoother, and safer travel between the two major cities while improving connectivity within Uttar Pradesh and neighbouring states.
The expressway will facilitate easier movement towards Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Delhi through the Jhansi and Agra routes. It will also enhance connectivity towards Bihar and Nepal via the Prayagraj-Varanasi corridor.
The project will provide passengers travelling between Kanpur and Lucknow with faster and uninterrupted access to Lucknow Airport and the city's major arterial road, Shaheed Path.
The improved connectivity is expected to reduce travel time, ease traffic congestion, and enhance commuting convenience for residents as well as commercial users.
(With ANI inputs)
