Good news for people who travel between Lucknow and Kanpur almost every week. The wait is finally over. The brand-new Lucknow-Kanpur Expressway opened today, July 13, and it is set to change daily travel between these two big cities of Uttar Pradesh.
A Big Day for UP’s Roads
The expressway was inaugurated by Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, along with Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari and UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. It is one more feather in the cap for Uttar Pradesh, which has been building expressway after expressway over the last few years.
The officially name of this road is Awadh Expressway, and on paper it is known as National Expressway 6 (NE-6). But for most people, it will simply be “the new Lucknow-Kanpur road.”
From 3 Hours to Just 35 Minutes
Here is the part that will make commuters smile. Right now, driving from Lucknow to Kanpur on the old highway (NH-27) takes anywhere between 2.5 and 3 hours, due to heavy traffic, small towns on the way, and constant signals.
After the inauguration of the newly Lucknow-Kanpur expressway, the same journey will take only 35 to 45 minutes. That is a huge time saving for daily office-goers, traders, students, and families who keep travelling between the two cities.
The road stretches 63 kilometres, starting from Shaheed Path in Lucknow and ending near Chakeri in Kanpur. It runs mostly parallel to the old highway, but it skips the traffic jams by going around busy areas, and even flies above the ground in some stretches.
No Toll Booths, No Long Queues
One of the most interesting things about this expressway is that it does not have the usual toll barriers you see on highways. This makes it India’s first expressway without physical toll booths. Cameras and sensors will read vehicle number plates and collect tolls automatically, so cars won’t have to stop and wait in line to pay.
There are five toll points along the Lucknow-Kanpur expressway route, at places like Miranpur Pinvat, Shivpura-Khande Dev, Bani, Amarsas, and Azad Nagar near the Kanpur border.
What Will It Cost You?
Travelling on this expressway isn’t cheap compared to the old road, but the time saved may be worth it for many people. Here is what different vehicles will pay for a one-way trip:
- Cars, jeeps, and SUVs: around Rs 275
- Light commercial vehicles: around Rs 445
- Buses and trucks: around Rs 935
- Heavy vehicles: around Rs 1,020
For comparison, the same trip on the old NH-27 highway currently costs close to Rs 95 one way. So yes, the new road costs more, but it also saves close to two hours of your time and fuel spent sitting in traffic.
Built With Modern Technology
The expressway is a six-lane road, and space has already been kept aside to widen it to eight lanes in the future if traffic grows. About 30 percent of the road is elevated, especially near the Amausi area in Lucknow, where it rises above the ground to avoid the crowded airport zone.
Engineers used 3D automated machine guidance technology while building this road, which is meant to improve accuracy and give a smoother driving experience. The maximum speed allowed on the expressway is 120 km per hour. The whole project cost around Rs 4,700 crore and was built by PNC Infratech.
Why This Road Matters
This expressway is not just about saving time for daily travellers. It also connects with several other major expressways in the state, like the Agra-Lucknow Expressway, the Purvanchal Expressway, the Ganga Expressway, and the Kanpur-Noida Expressway.
This means Kanpur and Lucknow will now be much better linked to the rest of Uttar Pradesh. Officials also believe the new road will help industries and businesses, especially Kanpur’s leather sector, by making it easier and faster to move goods.
It is also expected to support the Uttar Pradesh Defence Corridor, which passes through both cities. For years, people travelling between Lucknow and Kanpur have complained about the traffic, the potholes, and the long hours lost on the road.
After the opening of this that daily struggle may soon become a thing of the past. Yes, the toll is on the higher side, but for anyone who values their time, this new road could be a real game-changer.
