INTRODUCTION

Good roads bring about overall development in the region as it helps in the success of all Developmental activities, be it in the sphere of movement of people or goods, development agriculture, commerce, education, health and social welfare, or even maintenance of law and order and security. Therefore, to complement the economic development of the State, U.P Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA) has been entrusted with the development of the Agra to Lucknow Expressway (Greenfield) Project, which is the longest Access Controlled Expressway (Greenfield) Projectin India.

Agra to Lucknow Access Controlled Expressway (Greenfield) Project , implemented under Engineering Procurement and Construction (EPC) mode, is the top priority project of the Government of Uttar Pradesh that has been executed with the idea to not only reduce the travel time between Agra and Lucknow but also to open up avenues for Industrial and Urban development of the region, that would add a new dimension to the progress of Uttar Pradesh.

Procurement of land started practically in May, 2014 and within six months, 90% of land was procured with the consent of land owners, without even a hint of any protest. The task of completing the expressway has been accomplished in a remarkably short duration time of 22-24 months.

SALIENT FEATURES OF THE PROJECT

• This Expressway is 302 km long and connects Agra, Firozabad, Mainpuri, Etawah, Auraiya, Kannauj, Kanpur Nagar, Unnao, Hardoi and Lucknow districts of Uttar Pradesh.
• This Expressway connects state capital with Agra and further to the National Capital.
• It is a 6-lane expressway which is expandable to 8-lanes with all the structures 8 lane wide.
• Expressway has a design speed of 120kms per hour.
• It is the longest Access Controlled Expressway in the country to date with expected travel time of 3:30 hours between its two extremes.
• Facilities of entry and exist are available at select points along the expressway.
• Procurement of approximately 3500 hectares has been done covering around 10 districts and 232 villages.
• It has a provision of rest areas having restaurants, petrol pump and toilets at 04 locations (02 on either side) across the expressway.
• It is being provided with the Advanced Traffic Management System that enables timely dissemination of information and safety of the users of the expressway.
• 4 rail over bridges, 13 major bridges, 58 minor bridges, 74 Vehicular underpasses, 10 interchanges / flyovers and 148 Pedestrian Underpasses have been constructed as part of the expressway.
• It crosses through 4 National Highways, 2 State Highways and 5 rivers namely Ganga, Yamuna, Isan, Sai and Kalyani.
• In a section of expressway an airstrip for emergency landing of Indian Airforce aircrafts has been developed.
• The expressway starts on the Agra inner Ring Road near village Madra in Agra and ends on SH-40 (Lucknow – Mohan- Hasanganj – Rasulabad road) on the outskirts of Lucknow.
• A Green belt is being developed on the sides of the Expressway by planting trees on either sides of expressway and plants in the median.
• Facility of Entry & Exit at select points of crossings with major roads.

Project Benefits

• It will offer better connectivity between Lucknow and Western Uttar Pradesh through a fast corridor.
• It will minimize travel time that will save precious fuel and reduce carbon footprint.
• It will facilitate social and economic development of the state.
• It will promote agriculture, commerce, tourism and industrial development in the Central and Western part of the state.
• It will boost business facilities between important cities and development of agricultural areas of Agra, Firozabad, Etawah, Kannauj, Auraiya, Kanpur Nagar and Lucknow. This will also promote agricultural areas of Etawah, Mainpuri and Kannauj.
• It will stimulate development and setting up of Handlooms, Food Processing, Cold Storages, Warehousing and Milk based industries.
• It possesses the potential for setting up of new Industrial Training Institutes, Educational Institutes, Medical Institutes, New Satellite Cities/Smart Cities, Logistic Parks, Film City that would generate more avenues for employment and development of the state.
• The state has planned to develop agricultural mandis along the expressway to spur the economy by providing faster transport of agricultural produce, handicrafts, small industries etc. Moreover, the mandis along the way will help farmers sell their produce at better prices.

Safety & Security

The entire Expressway is planned to be lined with metal beam crash barrier on both sides and wire fencing State-of-the-art Advance Traffic management System for safe & secure transit.

Points of interchange Agra-Lucknow Expressway