UP’s Six-Lane Bridge Over The Ganga To Manage 40,000 Vehicles Daily? — See When It’s Expected To Be Ready

Prayagraj is all set to get a major infrastructure addition in the form of a six-lane bridge over the Ganga: Phaphamau six-lane bridge. Recently, a drone footage surfaced online that shows the scale of the project and the extent of construction already completed.

Pillars can be seen rising from the riverbed while segments of the bridge deck and long roads are visible. The caption shared along with the video reads: “Spectacular views of UP’s longest 6-lane cable bridge built over river Ganga in Prayagraj – another lovely feather in UP’s cap.”

Spectacular views of UP's longest 6-lane cable bridge built over river Ganga in Prayagraj – another lovely feather in UP's cap. Modi aur Yogi hain to mumkin hai 🪷 pic.twitter.com/YbmdHSYngj

— Alpakanya (@Alpakanya)

January 15, 2026

Why Prayagraj Needs Phaphamau Six Lane Bridge?

The Phaphamau six-lane bridge is being built to address severe traffic congestion on the existing two-lane Phaphamau bridge, also known as the Chandrashekhar Azad Setu. The older bridge was designed to handle around 15,000 passenger car units (PCUs) per day. But the current traffic volume has now crossed 40,000 PCUs daily, resulting in traffic jams.

And due to this, commercial vehicles are often restricted during peak hours. The new bridge is expected to provide relief from traffic congestion with additional lanes.

What Are The Major Routes That Phaphamau Six Lane Bridge Will Connect?

The new bridge is a major link in Prayagraj’s road network. It connects important routes such as NH-96, NH-24B and AH-1. It will be crucial for traffic movement between Prayagraj, Lucknow, Pratapgarh and other surrounding regions.

Once operational, the six-lane bridge is expected to support faster movement of vehicles and reduce bottlenecks that currently slow down regional and long-distance travel.

What Exactly Is Extradosed Bridge Design?

The Phaphamau bridge spans approximately 9.9 kilometres that also includes approach roads. Of this, 3.84 kilometres form the main bridge, while the remaining stretch consists of approach sections designed to handle heavy traffic volumes.

A key feature of the project is its extradosed bridge design. The main bridge includes an 860-metre extradosed section, which makes it India’s second-longest bridge of this type. An extradosed bridge is a hybrid structure that combines features of cable-stayed bridges and box girder bridges.

This will also be Uttar Pradesh’s first six-lane extradosed bridge. The remaining portions of the structure use a precast segmental design. The main bridge involves the construction of 67 pillars, most of which have already been completed, as seen in the drone footage.

What Is The Cost At Which Phaphamau Six Lane Bridge Is Being Built?

The total cost of the Phaphamau six-lane bridge project is estimated at around Rs 1,948 crore. The project is being executed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) under the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) model.

This model places responsibility for design, construction and timely delivery with the executing agency. It also ensures adherence to technical and safety standards.

When Will Phaphamau Six Lane Bridge Be Completed?

The foundation stone for the bridge was laid in 2020 by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, and construction began in February 2021. Initially, the project was scheduled to be completed by February 2024, before the Maha Kumbh 2025.

But the progress was slowed due to repeated challenges, including flooding in the Ganga and other construction-related obstacles. As a result, the deadline was first extended to February 2025, then to July 2026 and has now been pushed further to September 2026.

To manage traffic during Maha Kumbh 2025, a temporary steel pontoon bridge was constructed at the site. This temporary arrangement has since been removed.

How Exactly Phaphamau Six Lane Bridge Will Make Impact?

Once completed, the Phaphamau six-lane bridge is expected to significantly reduce congestion on the old two-lane bridge. It will allow smoother movement of private vehicles, commercial traffic and goods transport. At the same time, it will strengthen Prayagraj’s connectivity with major national highways and surrounding districts.

The project is also seen as a key infrastructure addition for a city that experiences heavy traffic, mainly during religious gatherings.