Purvanchal Expressway: Eastern UP poised for infra upgrade

Notwithstanding the challenge posed by Covid-19, the 341-km Purvanchal Expressway project is fast nearing completion, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi expected to inaugurate it next month. Work on the Rs 22,500-crore six-lane access-controlled expressway from Chand Sarai in Lucknow to Haidariya in Ghazipur district, which is just 18 km from the UP-Bihar border, is almost 95% complete and the main carriageway is likely to be opened for trial runs in July-end.

While the project was to be completed in 36 months, with October 2021 being the deadline, the Uttar Pradesh government tried to expedite work and complete it by March 2021. Though Covid-19 and the resultant exodus of labour saw the pace of construction getting impacted slightly, the project has still managed to adhere to the original schedule.