Ganga expressway, the longest expressway in Uttar Pradesh linking Meerut with Prayagraj, is likely to be completed by the end of this year on December 31.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed Uttar Pradesh Expressway Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA) to work on a war footing to complete the expressway before Mahakumbh in 2025.

Currently, Uttar Pradesh has the highest number of expressways in the country, with six in operation and seven under-construction. The most ambitious project is the Ganga Expressway with a proposed length of 594 kilometres. Ganga Expressway is the second in terms of length in the country after the Mumbai-Nagpur Expressway.

UP currently has four expressways that feature among the top 10 expressways in terms of length in India. Once Ganga Expressway becomes operational, the state will have five of the top 10 expressways in the country. 

Recently, the chief minister, in a meeting with UPEIDA officials, has given directions to make the Ganga Expressway operational by the end of 2024 under any circumstances in view of the Mahakumbh in 2025.

Connecting the state from east to west, this expressway will pass through 518 villages in 12 districts. After the opening of the expressway, the distance from Meerut to Prayagraj via Hapur, Bulandshahr, Amroha, Sambhal, Badaun, Shahjahanpur, Hardoi, Unnao, Rae Bareli and Pratapgarh will be covered in just a few hours. Ganga Expressway will start from Bijauli village on Meerut-Bulandshahr (NH 334) and end near Judapur Dadu village on (NH 19) in Prayagraj. The expressway is being built on 7,467 hectares of land at an estimated cost of Rs 36,230 crore.

The Ganga Expressway will initially have six lanes, with a proposal to later expand it to eight lanes. Along the expressway, nin public amenities complexes will be developed at various locations for public convenience. Main toll plazas are planned at two locations (Meerut and Prayagraj), while ramp toll plazas are proposed at 15 locations.

Additionally, two large bridges will be built over the Ganga river (960 metres) and the Ramganga river (720 metres). Furthermore, a 3.50-kilometre-long airstrip will be constructed near the Jalalabad tehsil in Shahjahanpur.

For the Ganga Expressway project, out of 153 clearances required from four major departments, 141 have been obtained. Of these, 44 out of 48 clearances have been obtained from NHAI/PWD, seven out of seven from Railways, 82 out of 88 from Irrigation department and eight out of 10 from fuel pipeline. Big companies like IRB Infrastructure and Adani Infrastructure are engaged in the construction of Ganga Expressway.

To expedite the project, the state has allowed for the usage of fly ash to overcome the shortage of soil in the construction. This will not only cut carbon footprint but also provide an environmentally amenable disposal. 

Once completed, the expressway will facilitate easy travel during the Mahakumbh Mela, which is expected to host nearly 400 million tourists.