Hapur | Travel between Meerut and Prayagraj is set to become significantly smoother early next year, with the Ganga Expressway nearing completion and preparations underway for its final testing phase. According to officials, the 594-km high-speed corridor is structurally ready, and an expert team will conduct inspections in December before issuing mandatory certifications. A trial run will follow, after which the official inauguration date will be announced.
Authorities expect the expressway to be dedicated to the public in the second week of January. Most sections of the project, including the Meerut–Badaun stretch, are fully complete. Only about two percent of work remains in the Unnao–Haldwani segment of the third corridor. Out of 1,498 major structures built along the route, 1,497 have been completed.
In the first sector between Meerut and Badaun—spanning 129 km—all 322 major structures, including those near Simbhaoli, have been finished. Officials of the Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA) confirmed that the trial run will be completed in December, followed by the final technical evaluation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to inaugurate the expressway by January 15.
A unique feature of the project is the construction of five emergency aircraft-landing stretches, designed to allow fighter jets to land during critical situations. One such airstrip—3.5 km long—has already been completed in Jalalabad, Shahjahanpur, with three more planned.
Once operational, the Ganga Expressway will provide Uttar Pradesh with a new, high-speed east-west travel corridor. The six-lane expressway, expandable to eight lanes, will cut the Meerut-Prayagraj travel time to just about six hours. The project is also expected to spur industrial growth across the districts it connects—Meerut, Hapur, Bulandshahr, Amroha, Sambhal, Badaun, Shahjahanpur, Hardoi, Unnao, Rae Bareli, Pratapgarh and Prayagraj.
Industrial corridors are being developed on both sides of the expressway, promising major economic benefits through improved logistics and business expansion. UPEIDA is giving final shape to the ₹36,230-crore project, for which 7,453 hectares of land were acquired. Expansion of the expressway up to Haridwar is also underway.
“Construction of the Ganga Expressway is nearly complete, and preparations for the trial run are in the final stage. Our aim is to conduct the trial in December and inaugurate the expressway in January. A report has already been sent for government approval, and a joint meeting with UPEIDA and NHAI officials will be held soon,” said ADM Sandeep Kumar.
Ganga Expressway (Meerut–Prayagraj): Latest Construction Status
| Description | Current Status |
|---|---|
| Overall construction progress | About 98% complete |
| Main carriageway | 99% completed |
| Meerut–Badaun section | 130 km ready for trial |
| Proposed trial run | First week of December 2025 |
| Expected inauguration | Second week of January 2026 |
| Travel time Meerut–Prayagraj after opening | Approx. 6 hours |
The state now awaits one of India’s most ambitious expressways to begin operations, promising faster travel, enhanced connectivity and a major boost to Uttar Pradesh’s industrial landscape.
