Ganga Expressway

History

2007: Conception

In 2007, Ganga Expressway was initially proposed by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister (CM), Mayawati as Greater Noida–Ballia Expressway, but remained stalled.

2019: Project revival

In 2019 the project was revived by the Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who allocated the first installation of budget of ₹2,000 crores for the construction of Phase-1 in 2020. Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA) is the government agency responsible for the project.

2019-2026: Phase-1 construction

The total expected project cost in 2021 was ₹37,350 crores, including the land acquisition cost of around ₹9,500 crores. In 2019, the land acquisition commenced and progressed regularly, which was mostly completed by 2021 In 2021 the environmental clearance from Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change was obtained and Uttar Pradesh Cabinet approved ₹36,230 crore budget to build the expressway. On 18 December 2021, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone in Shahjahanpur, the construction work started in April 2022.

UPEIDA divided the Phase-1 construction work into 12 packages to be constructed on Design-Build-Finance-Operate-Transfer (DBFOT) Model. The list of Phase-1 contractors is as follows:

2025 onwards: Phase-2 construction

Phase-2 was approved in January 2025, paving the way for preparation of pre-construction DPR (Detailed Project Report).

Route

Phase-1

Main route

The 594km long Ganga Expressway Phase-1 alignment, from west to east, is as follows

Spurs

• Ganga-Yamuna Expressway (Bulandshahr-Noida Expressway): 74.3 km long, 120 metre wide, Rs 4,000 cr expressway, from Siyana northeast of Bulandshahr on Ganga Expressway to Yamuna Expressway at Pari Chowk in Greater Noida, thus providing connectivity to Noida Airport, Eastern Peripheral Expressway, Western Peripheral Expressway and Delhi-Mumbai Expressway. Land acquisition commenced in 2025.

Phase-1 Interchanges

The types of interchanges are listed west to east:

Legends: NH is National Highways, SH is State Highways, MDR is Major District Road, and ODR is Other District Road.

Phase-2

Main route

The Phase-2, of 453 km length, includes the following extensions. Please help expand the exact alignment with important towns and intersections with NH, SH, and expressways along the way.

Meerut-Haridwar: Upper Ganges Canal Expressway

Upper Ganges Canal Expressway (Spur-1 or Hapur Expressway or Bulandshahr-Meerut-Haridwar Expressway): The Government of Uttar Pradesh decided to extend the expressway 110 km northwest i.e. Meerut to Haridwar.

Prayagraj-Ballia

Prayagraj-Ballia Expressway (Spur-2): 314 eastward extension from Prayagraj to Ballia via Varanasi.

Spurs

Please help expand this by listing additional spurs off the two planned extensions (Meerut-Haridwar and Prayagraj-Ballia):

Phase-2 interchanges

Listed west to east (please help expand the partial list):

• Upper Ganges Canal Expressway (Meerut-Haridwar section):

  • Delhi–Dehradun Expressway (Saharanpur-Haridwar Spur)
  • Char Dham Highway

• Prayagraj-Ballia section:

  • NH-31

Economic use

Ganga Industrial corridor

Area along the Ganga Expressway is being developed as the industrial corridor. New Industries are coming up around Meerut, Baduan, Kanpur, Varanasi and Prayagraj. and there are government plans to setup the pharma parks, textile parks, IT parks along the Ganga Expressway.

• Meerut, In 2023, Uttar Pradesh government acquired the land to set up an industrial city in Meerut, adjacent to entry and exit points of the expressway.

• Kanpur, after the completion of both phases, will serve as a major node for economic and industrial activity, as it will be the central point of the expressway, with many projects planned in the Agra-Lucknow Expressway and Awadh Expressway region.

Military airstrip

Sections of Ganga Expressway have bene constructed to operate as the airstip for the Indian Military. Indian Air Force fighter jets and transport aircraft conducted landing and take-off drills on 2 May 2025 from a 3.5 km-long Emergency Landing Facility on the Expressway near Shahjahanpur with several types of aircraft which included Su-30MKI, Mirage 2000, MiG-29, Jaguar, C-130J Super Hercules, An-32, and the Mi-17 V5 helicopter.

Current status

Phase-1: Meerut-Prayagraj

The Ganga Expressway project, first proposed in 2007, was revived and officially relaunched by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on 29 January 2019. Planned to run broadly parallel to the Ganga river while maintaining a 10 km distance to meet environmental norms, the expressway is being executed in phases, with the 594 km Phase-1 connecting Meerut to Prayagraj.

By 2020, ₹2,000 crore was allocated for construction, and land acquisition accelerated through 2021, reaching over 90% by August that year. The project received environmental clearance in November 2021, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone on 18 December 2021. Contracts were awarded to Adani Enterprises and IRB Infrastructure, and physical construction began in April 2022.

By late 2023, major groundwork—including clearing, grubbing, and initial earthworks—was largely completed, and the Uttar Pradesh government also announced an industrial city near Meerut, adjacent to the expressway. As of December 2025, Phase-1 had achieved 100% earthwork, 100% GSB, 100% WMM, 100% DBM in Main Carriageway, and 1,498 of 1,498 structures completed, with overall progress at about 96%. Only lane marking and road signage work is underway in some sections.

Phase 2

Phase-2 includes two spur routes. Spur-1 (Meerut–Haridwar) received a ₹50 crore budget allocation in February 2025 for pre-construction activities. Spur-2 (Prayagraj–Ballia) remains in pre-construction, with surveys completed by UPEIDA in 2024 and preparatory work ongoing as of August 2025.

References

References

1. (30 October 2025). "Finish construction of Ganga Expressway by Dec 2025: Yogi". The Times of India.
2. (22 February 2019). "Yogi govt to build ganga E-way 10 km away from riverbanks". The Economic Times.
3. (7 December 2007). "18 companies bid for Ganga Expressway". The Hindu.
4. (21 February 2025). "Four new expressways to enhance connectivity with neighbouring states". The Times of India.
5. (13 July 2020). "Ganga expressway: India's second-largest expressway in Uttar Pradesh to be ready by this year". Financial Express.
6. (22 February 2019). "Ganga Expressway: Yogi govt to build ganga E-way 10 km away from riverbanks". The Economic Times.
7. (18 September 2019). "Ganga e-way alignment plans ready for UP CM's nod before consultant invite". The Times of India.
8. (1 December 2021). "Adani & IRB Win Ganga Expressway's Construction Work".
9. Shah, Pankaj. (3 December 2021). "adani: Uttar Pradesh: Ganga expressway to be built by Adani Group, IRB Infrastructure". The Times of India.
10. Chaudhary, Smriti. (21 December 2021). "Adani Enterprises Bags Contract To Build Three Stretches Of Ganga Expressway".
11. PTI. (17 December 2021). "IRB Infra receives letter of award for Ganga Expressway project group-1". The Economic Times.
12. "UP govt acquires 80 pc land for Ganga Expressway". United News of India.
13. (15 June 2021). "Ganga Expressway: UPEIDA nod to SBI's proposal for draft financial advisory report". Hindustan Times.
14. श्रीवास्‍तव, पंकज. (15 June 2021). "पूर्वांचल एक्सप्रेस-वे पर स्थापित होंगे 8 फ्यूल स्टेशन, यूपीडा की बोर्ड बैठक में ऑयल कंपनियों के चयन को स्वीकृति". Amar Ujala.
15. (22 August 2021). "Ganga Expressway: UP govt gets approval letter for ₹5,100 crore loan from PNB". The Hindustan Times.
16. (2 September 2021). "Ganga Expressway gets cabinet approval". The Hindustan Times.
17. (20 November 2021). "Uttar Pradesh: Ganga Expressway gets environmental clearance". The Times of India.
18. झा, पंकज. (20 November 2021). "36 हजार 230 करोड़ की लागत से बनेगा UP का गंगा एक्सप्रेस-वे, दिसंबर तक हो सकता शिलान्यास". ABP News.
19. (20 November 2021). "गंगा एक्सप्रेस-वे को पर्यावरण मंत्रालय से मिली मंजूरी, 94 प्रतिशत जमीन का हुआ अधिग्रहण, जानिए कब शुरू होगा निर्माण कार्य". Zee News.
20. (18 December 2021). "PM Narendra Modi lays foundation stone of Ganga Expressway project: Here are key features".
21. (9 June 2023). "Ganga expressway in UP likely to open for the public before schedule". Business Times.
22. (16 February 2023). "Ganga Expressway to be ready before Mahakumnbh 2025 : CM Yogi". The Lucknow Tribune.
23. (11 April 2022). "CM योगी के ड्रीम प्रोजेक्ट गंगा एक्सप्रेसवे का निर्माण कार्य शुरू, 8 घंटे में तय होगी मेरठ से प्रयागराज की दूरी". News18.
24. (29 January 2019). "Ganga Expressway - World's Longest - To Be Built Announces Yogi Adityanath". NDTV.
25. (13 July 2020). "Ganga expressway: India's second-largest expressway in Uttar Pradesh to be ready by this year". Financial Express.
26. (17 December 2021). "IRB bags ₹6555 cr BOT stretch on Ganga Expressway". Fortune India.
27. Saurabh Sinha. (20 December 2021). "Adani Group to build 80% of 594 km Meerut-Prayagraj Ganga e-way - Times of India".
28. [https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/noida-news/yeida-okays-new-e-way-alignment-to-link-airport-with-ganga-expressway-101744055176417.html Yeida okays new E-way alignment to link airport with Ganga Expressway], Hindustan Times, 8 April 2025.
29. [https://www.indiatvnews.com/news/india/ganga-expressway-extension-ncr-to-bihar-to-get-one-more-new-route-with-yogi-adityanath-announcing-two-big-expressways-check-details-2025-01-23-972648 Ganga Expressway extension: NCR to Bihar set to get one new route with announcement of 2 big expressways], NDTV, 23 January 2025.
30. Mishra, Ravi. (18 December 2021). "Ganga Expressway : जानिए यूपी में विकसित होने वाले पांच औद्योगिक कॉरीडोर के बारे में, जिनसे मिलेगी उद्योगों को रफ्तार". Dainik Jagran.
31. (24 May 2023). "Industrial Corridor will be Developed along Ganga Expressway".
32. (7 May 2023). "Industrial clusters to come up along Ganga Expressway". Hindustan Times.
33. Srivastava, Shweta. (10 September 2024). "Awadh Expressway Routes Details: लखनऊ में नया एक्सप्रेसवे बनने की तैयारी तेज़, जानिए क्यों होगा ये इतना ख़ास". News Track.
34. (2 May 2025). "IAF's day-night take-off and landing drills on e-way today". Hindustan Times.
35. (2 May 2025). "IAF begins landing drills on Ganga Expressway in UP' s Shahjahanpur". The Economic Times.
36. Negi, Manjeet. (2 May 2025). "Rafale, Sukhoi jets land under moonlight in historic night drill on UP expressway".
37. "Ganga Expressway {{!}} Official Website of Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority, Government of Uttar Pradesh, India. Setup by State Government under UP Industrial Area Development Act-1976".
38. Hindustan Times: "U.P. Budget: Ganga Expressway extension, sports university get major boost in Meerut" (20 February 2025).
39. Patrika: "Ganga Expressway to Connect Haridwar and Varanasi: A Boon for Travellers" (21 February 2025).
40. "Ganga Expressway {{!}} Official Website of Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority, Government of Uttar Pradesh, India. Setup by State Government under UP Industrial Area Development Act-1976".