Ganga
Expressway: The much-awaited Ganga Expressway between Meerut and Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh is set to open for the public, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurating it on April 29. Spanning 594 kilometres, this major road project will reduce travel time between the two cities to around five hours, offering a big boost to connectivity and convenience for daily commuters, tourists and businesses. Built as a six-lane greenfield expressway, it can be expanded to eight lanes in the future. UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday (April 23) conducted an on-site inspection of the program venue at Mallawan Cut in Bilgram tehsil of Hardoi district to check the inauguration preparation.
Ganga Expressway: Travel Time and Route
Covering 594 Km distance, the Ganga Expressway begins near Bijauli village in Meerut and stretches up to the Judapur Dandu village in Prayagraj. The expressway passes through 12 districts, including Hapur, Bulandshahr, Amroha, Shahjahanpur and Rae Bareli, making travel across Uttar Pradesh faster and more efficient. It is also expected to be extended to Haridwar, strengthening its role as a key religious and economic corridor.
The expressway links eastern and western Uttar Pradesh, significantly reducing travel time between Meerut and Prayagraj. While the journey currently takes around 10 to 12 hours, it is expected to be cut down to just 6 to 7 hours once the expressway becomes operational. For travellers, this means quicker access to important cities and pilgrimage centres. The route will improve connectivity to places like Garh Mukteshwar, Sambhal and Prayagraj, making it easier for devotees and tourists to plan trips.
Ganga Expressway: Safety Features And Modern Facilities
The Ganga Expressway is built at a cost of over Rs 36,000 crore and is equipped with several advanced safety features. These include cemented fencing along the road, speed-checking cameras every 10 kilometres and CCTV cameras every kilometre to ensure security. Trees planted on the divider will help reduce glare from oncoming vehicles, improving driving comfort.
Nine facility centres have been developed along the expressway. These will offer petrol and diesel pumps, CNG stations, electric vehicle charging points, food courts, motels, toilets and parking spaces.The expressway also stands out for having trauma centres, making it the first in India to offer such emergency medical support on a highway. Tow trucks, cranes and ambulances will be stationed every 50 kilometres to assist travellers quickly.
Ganga Expressway: Toll Price and Runway Feature
Travelling the full stretch of the expressway is expected to cost around Rs 1,300. The project, which began in November 2022, has been completed in about 1,000 days.A unique feature of this expressway is its 3.5-kilometre airstrip in Shahjahanpur district, which can be used for emergency landing of fighter jets and transport aircraft. This makes it one of the few highways in India with such dual use capability.
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