State - June 20, 2025

Uttar Pradesh emerges as Expressway State of India

team maverick June 20, 2025

0 6 min read

Out of every 10 kilometers of expressways built in the country, 6 kilometers will be in Uttar Pradesh

With inauguration of Gorakhpur Link Expressway, Uttar Pradesh now accounts for 42% of country’s total expressway network

Once Ganga Expressway, connecting Meerut to Prayagraj, is completed and inaugurated, Uttar Pradesh’s share in national expressway network will rise to 62%

Gorakhpur Link Expressway has become seventh operational expressway in state, with several more currently under construction or in planning stages

Expressways in Uttar Pradesh are not limited to linking major cities or state capital; they are also opening up connectivity to regions like Bundelkhand, Purvanchal, and Terai

Lucknow : Uttar Pradesh is emerging as the most prominent name on India’s infrastructure map. With the inauguration of the Gorakhpur Link Expressway, the state now accounts for 42% of the country’s total access-controlled expressway network, up from the earlier 38%.

Not only this, but after the inauguration of the Ganga Expressway (594 km), being built from Meerut to Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh will alone have 62% of the country’s access-controlled network. That is, out of every 10 km of expressway built in the country, 6 km of expressway will be in Uttar Pradesh. Apart from this, many more expressways are under construction in Uttar Pradesh, while the government has approved many new expressways.

According to Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Singh, while there are a total of 2,900 km of access-controlled expressways across the country, more than 1,200 km of expressways are located in Uttar Pradesh alone. This accounts for 38 per cent of the total expressway network across the entire country. With the addition of Gorakhpur Link Expressway, this figure has now increased to 42%.

According to Manoj Kumar Singh, soon, Ganga Expressway will also be a part of it, with the addition of which Uttar Pradesh’s total share will increase to more than 62 per cent. He stated that the construction of the Gorakhpur Link Expressway has not only crossed geographical barriers but is also set to transform the socio-economic landscape of Purvanchal. It has cost Rs 7,200 crore to build, with Rs 3,400 crore spent on construction and the remaining amount allocated to land acquisition and other expenses. For this, 1,100 hectares of land have been acquired from 22,000 farmers.

Uttar Pradesh is the first and only state in the country where the maximum number of expressways are not only ready, but many are under construction and proposed. Gorakhpur Link Expressway is the seventh expressway of Uttar Pradesh. Apart from this, 3 are under construction and eight are proposed. The state’s longest expressway Ganga Expressway (594 km), Ballia Link Expressway (35 km) and Lucknow-Kanpur Greenfield Expressway (63 km) are being completed rapidly.

At the same time, the construction of the Chitrakoot Link Expressway, which connects the Agra-Lucknow Expressway to the Purvanchal Expressway and the Bundelkhand Expressway via Farrukhabad, is in progress. Additionally, the construction of the link expressway connecting the Ganga Expressway and the Jewar Airport Link Expressway is also underway. Uttar Pradesh is the only state where work is underway on a plan for an expressway network exceeding 2,000 km. Expressways in UP are not limited to the capital or big cities, but also connect areas such as Bundelkhand, Purvanchal, and Terai.

The speed and vision with which Uttar Pradesh has expanded its expressway network under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath not only connect the state but also accelerate the development of the whole of India. These expressways of Uttar Pradesh are not just roads made of cement and concrete, but are arteries of economic development that are making access to industry, education, health and employment easier.

Expressways currently operational in UP and their length