Governor Anandiben Patel, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Deputy Chief Ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak, Union minister Pankaj Chaudhary and other dignitaries were present.
From Meerut to Prayagraj: What the expressway covers
The access-controlled expressway runs from Bijoli village in Meerut to near Judapur Dandu village in Prayagraj. It passes through 12 districts—Meerut, Hapur, Bulandshahr, Amroha, Sambhal, Badaun, Shahjahanpur, Hardoi, Unnao, Rae Bareli, Pratapgarh and Prayagraj—and connects western and eastern Uttar Pradesh. It also links 519 villages and runs broadly parallel to the Ganga River.
Speaking at the inauguration of the Ganga Expressway in Hardoi. This transformative infrastructure project will boost connectivity and drive progress across Uttar Pradesh. https://t.co/UoFCdwSRmO
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 29, 2026
The project received state cabinet approval in 2020. Modi laid its foundation stone in Shahjahanpur on December 18, 2021. Authorities said the expressway has been completed within the stipulated timeframe.
The corridor has been developed by the Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority under a public-private partnership model at an estimated cost of ₹36,230 crore.
आदरणीय प्रधानमंत्री श्री @narendramodi जी के कर-कमलों से ‘गंगा एक्सप्रेस-वे’ के लोकार्पण हेतु जनपद हरदोई में आयोजित कार्यक्रम में… https://t.co/TelV9pYRSq
— Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) April 29, 2026
It is a six-lane expressway, expandable to eight lanes, with a design speed of 120 kmph. It is set to be the longest greenfield expressway in India and the longest in Uttar Pradesh.
Travel time cut, airstrip and safety systems in place
Officials said travel time between Meerut and Prayagraj is expected to reduce from about 10–12 hours to 6–7 hours. Proposed toll rates are around ₹2.55 per km for cars, or about ₹1,500 for the full stretch. FASTag-based toll collection will be mandatory.
The expressway includes an emergency airstrip near Shahjahanpur. While project features mention a 3.2-km strip, background details note a 3.5-km airstrip designed for Indian Air Force use and tested in May 2025 with fighter and transport aircraft.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi waves to the gathering during the inauguration of the 594-km-long Ganga Expressway in Hardoi district. Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel and state Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath are also present.
Safety and monitoring systems include an Intelligent Traffic Management System, CCTV surveillance, emergency call boxes, ambulances and patrolling units.
The expressway will connect with the Purvanchal, Agra-Lucknow, Bundelkhand and Gorakhpur Link expressways, forming a wider road network across the state.
Jobs, investment and farmers: What leaders said
Authorities said the project is expected to boost connectivity, reduce logistics costs and support industrial activity, trade and investment. It is also expected to generate employment and strengthen supply chains across regions.
Integrated manufacturing and logistics clusters are being developed along the corridor. These include warehouses, cold storage units and food processing hubs. Around 18,000 acres of land were acquired for the project, with nearly 7,000 acres earmarked for industrial and logistics hubs.
Adityanath said, “it would play a key role in accelerating development and bridging distances”. He added, “More than one lakh farmers across 12 districts contributed land for this expressway. I thank all the ‘annadata’ farmers whose support has made this project a reality.”
He said the project would ease transportation and support economic growth, industrial development and employment. He also said the expressway would act as a backbone of the state’s economy and support the vision of a “Developed India”.
Pankaj Chaudhary said it is one of the longest expressways in the country and a gift of modern infrastructure to the state.
Officials said the expressway will facilitate faster movement of goods and services, improve agricultural marketing by helping farmers access markets more quickly, and support tourism and local businesses. They added that the project will contribute to Uttar Pradesh’s goal of becoming a trillion-dollar economy.
Read more: Ganga Expressway: Route, cost, impact and other interesting facts you must know
First Published: Apr 29, 2026 1:23 PM IST
