By Abhay Ray 
Introduction
Road connectivity in Uttar Pradesh is continuously gaining momentum. This is giving wings to development in big cities as well as small districts. But the capital of UP seems to be getting the most benefit from the expressway.
- Agra Expressway
The Agra-Lucknow Expressway starts from Mohan Road in Lucknow and goes up to Agra. This 302 km long six lane expressway connects Agra, Firozabad, Mainpuri, Etawah, Aurraiya, Kannauj, Kanpur, Hardoi, Unnao and Lucknow. The Agra–Lucknow Expressway is a 302 km long, 6-lane wide (extendable to 8-lanes) access-controlled expressway constructed by the Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA) to reduce traffic in already congested roads and to reduce pollution and carbon footprint.The expressway reduced the distance between the cities of Agra and Lucknow in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh and is presently one of the India’s longest operational expressways.
It was completed and inaugurated on 21 November 2016 by then Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Akhilesh Yadav. Light traffic commotion on the expressway began with government approval in the following December, and the full length of expressway was made accessible to public from Agra to Lucknow by the end of February 2017. It is widely seen as his dream project and the flagship model of development in the state, being the first of its kind to be completed in the shortest span of time.
- Purvanchal Expressway
Purvanchal Expressway is a 340.8 km long, 6-lane wide (expandable to 8) access-controlled expressway in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. It starts from Sultanpur Road in Lucknow and goes up to Ghazipur. Apart from Lucknow, this expressway passes through Barabanki, Amethi, Sultanpur, Ayodhya, Ambedkarnagar, Azamgarh, Mau and Ghazipur.
It is developed by the Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA). The Purvanchal Expressway has a 3.2 km long airstrip at Akhalkiri Karwat village near Kurebhar in Sultanpur district for emergency landing of aircraft. The construction work was started by the UPEIDA on 10 October 2018 and was inaugurated and opened to the public on 16 November 2021. With a total project value of ₹22,494 crore, including the land acquisition cost, the Expressway was India’s longest expressway at the time of completion.
- Lucknow Outer Ring Road
Lucknow’s Chaturbhuj carriageway road project (2×4 lanes) is also about to be completed. The length of this eight-lane road project is 104 kilometers. National Highway 230 (NH 230), also known as Kisan Path or Lucknow Outer Ring Road is National Highway in Uttar Pradesh, India which also includes sections of Lucknow Inner Ring Road.The Lucknow outer ring road is an 8 lane that expand to 10 lanes at key junctions and 104 km long quadruple carriageway (2*4 lanes) road project with a speed limit of 100kmph for Light Vehicles and 80 kmph for Heavy vehicles. The 6 lane 11 km long stretch between Kursi Road to Sultanpur road (Kisan Path) has been constructed by the NHAI. This Ring Road has multiple 6 lane flyovers for smooth and swift commuting of the travellers. This Outer Ring Road will play a major role in the establishment of the Lucknow State Capital Region or the Uttar Pradesh State Capital Region as many IT cities, Housing Societies, Integrated Mega-Townships, Wellness City, Educational Hubs, and Commercial Hubs etc. across Multiple 1000’s of acres of land are proposed to be established around this Ring Road. It is set to offload nearly 1.60 lakh vehicles off the main roads of the city of Lucknow as of now.
- Lucknow-Kanpur Expressway
Lucknow Kanpur Expressway, known as National Expressway-6, is a 6-lane expressway which can be expanded to 8 lanes in the future. This expressway is to be completed by 2025. This will make the journey from Lucknow to Kanpur easier. The Awadh Expressway also known as Kanpur-Lucknow Expressway connects two major cities Lucknow and Kanpur of the Awadh Region of Uttar Pradesh. It is an under-construction, 63-kilometre-long (39 mi), six-lane wide (expandable to 8) access-controlled expressway in India’s Uttar Pradesh. It has been given the status of National Expressway 6 (NE 6) by the Government of India.
The expressway will connect Lucknow and Kanpur and will run parallel to National Highway 27 (NH-27) which connects Kanpur and Lucknow with a distance of about 85 km (53 mi) between existing and proposed parallel roads. The expressway will start from its junction with NH-27 near Shaheed Path in South Lucknow (km 11.000 of existing NH-27) connecting Bani, Kantha, Amarsas and terminating at its junction with NH No. 27 (km 71.300 of existing NH-27) near Azad Marg, Unnao where it will be connected to the Udyog Path, Kanpur. It will also intersect Ganga Expressway in Unnao district. It is the smallest expressway in India but also one of the most advanced.
- Lucknow Link Expressway
Agra Lucknow Expressway-Purvanchal Expressway will be linked to a link expressway. This link expressway is 60 km long. Passengers will get a lot of benefit from this. The 91.352 km long Gorakhpur Link Expressway would be another milestone in Uttar Pradesh’s infrastructure development. The Uttar Pradesh government decided to build the Gorakhpur link expressway to transmit and transfer the cultural and commercial values from Gorakhpur to Azamgarh and vice versa. The expressway will begin at Jaitpur and end at Salarpur, allowing quick access to Purvanchal Expressway. State minister Yogi Adityanath declared the Gorakhpur Link Expressway in 2018, and land acquisition started in 2019. The approved greenfield project was expected to cost ₹ 5,876.67 crore, including the land cost. However, the updated estimated cost of the project is ₹ 7,283 crore
- Ganga Expressway
Ganga Expressway, one of the dream projects of CM Yogi Adityanath, is being built between Meerut and Prayagraj. This expressway will not be directly connected to Lucknow but it will be linked to Lucknow-Agra Expressway in Unnao.
Ganga Expressway is an under-construction, 1,047 km (651 mi) long, of which 594 km (369 mi) has been approved, 6-lane (easily widenable to 8) wide greenfield expressway in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. It is being constructed in two phases. Phase-1 will connect Bijauli village on NH-334 in Meerut district with Judapur Dandu village on NH-19 in Prayagraj district via Sarai Katiyan village on NH-27 in Kanpur, while Phase-2 will see the extension of both sides of the expressway: from Prayagraj to Ballia and from Meerut to Haridwar.
- Gorakhpur-Shamli Expressway
A 700 km long expressway is proposed between Gorakhpur and Shamli. This Greenfield Expressway will be of 6 lanes. Lucknow will also benefit from this. This expressway will make the journey from West UP to Purvanchal easier. Gorakhpur Shamli Expressway is an upcoming expressway in Uttar Pradesh that will connect eastern UP with western UP, passing through 22 districts.
The Uttar Pradesh government continuously works to improve the state’s road infrastructure. The expressway aims to offer seamless connectivity between Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab and Delhi. Currently, the longest expressway in UP is the Purvanchal Expressway.
- Science Path
There will be connectivity from Lucknow to cities like Hardoi, Sitapur, Rae Bareli, Barabanki, Unnao and Rae Bareli. There will be a 250 km long 6 lane outer ring road from here.The proposed connectivity development in Lucknow aims to significantly enhance transportation and regional connectivity. With direct links to neighboring cities like Hardoi, Sitapur, Rae Bareli, Barabanki, and Unnao, this initiative will streamline travel, boost trade, and support economic growth in the region. The upgraded infrastructure will reduce travel time, making these cities more accessible to each other and to the state capital, Lucknow. The connectivity upgrades are poised to bring substantial benefits to the region, making it a vital part of Lucknow’s growing infrastructure and development.
- Gomti Expressway
This expressway will connect the capital Lucknow to Haldwani in Uttarakhand. The length of this expressway will be about 300 kilometers and will be of 6 lanes. This means that the journey to Uttarakhand is also going to become easier.The Gomti Expressway is an ambitious project set to enhance connectivity between Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh, and Haldwani in Uttarakhand. Spanning approximately 300 kilometers, this 6-lane expressway will provide a faster and more efficient route for travelers, significantly reducing travel time between the two regions. The new expressway will not only make the journey to Uttarakhand more convenient but also promote tourism, trade, and economic growth by improving access to the picturesque hill stations and natural beauty of Uttarakhand. With smoother traffic flow and improved infrastructure, the Gomti Expressway will ease congestion on existing roads, offering a safer and more reliable option for long-distance commuters. This project is expected to boost regional development, create job opportunities, and strengthen ties between Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
Conclusion
Lucknow is rapidly emerging as the expressway capital of India, with nine major expressways either operational, under construction, or proposed to pass through or connect with the city. These mega infrastructure projects, including the Agra-Lucknow, Purvanchal, Ganga, and Lucknow-Kanpur expressways, are transforming the region into a strategic connectivity hub. As the capital of Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow is uniquely positioned to reap maximum benefits in terms of trade, tourism, employment, and real estate growth. Improved connectivity to cities across eastern, western, and northern India, including access to neighboring states like Uttarakhand, is set to enhance mobility and fuel rapid urbanization. These expressways are not just roads—they are lifelines for economic development, regional integration, and smart city expansion. With such transformational projects underway, Lucknow is poised to become one of India’s most well-connected and future-ready cities.
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