Government Sanctions ₹7,145-Crore Kanpur–Kabrai Greenfield Highway Project.

The Union Cabinet recently approved the construction of the 117.7-km Kanpur–Kabrai access-controlled greenfield highway in Uttar Pradesh at an estimated cost of ₹7,145.14 crore.

The four-lane corridor, which is designed for future expansion to six lanes, will be implemented by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) under the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) (Toll) mode.

The project forms a key segment of the Bhopal–Kanpur Economic Corridor under the National Highways (Original) Programme. It also includes the operation and maintenance of the existing Kanpur–Kabrai stretch of NH-34, aiming to enhance high-speed connectivity between Kanpur and Kabrai and improve onward links to Sagar, Bhopal and other parts of Madhya Pradesh.

Designed for operating speeds of 80–100 kmph, the corridor is expected to reduce travel time between Kanpur and Kabrai from 3.5 hours to around 1.5 hours. It will also provide strategic connectivity to NH-34, NH-35, the Bundelkhand Expressway, Kanpur Ring Road and several state highways.

Aligned with the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan, the project will improve connectivity to 16 economic nodes, nine social nodes and 10 logistics nodes, including key industrial areas, railway stations and airports across the region.

The government said the project is expected to enhance logistics efficiency, support industrial development and boost economic growth across Bundelkhand and adjoining regions of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.

It is projected to carry an average daily traffic of around 18,069 passenger car units by FY28 and generate nearly 1.2 crore person-days of direct and indirect employment during the construction phase.