CCEA Approves RS 7,145-Cr Kanpur–Kabrai Greenfield Highway Project
New Delhi, July 1 (TNT): The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday approved the construction of a 117.7-km Kanpur–Kabrai Access-Controlled Greenfield Highway at an estimated cost of ₹7,145.14 crore.
The four-lane access-controlled corridor, designed for future expansion to six lanes, will form a key segment of the Bhopal–Kanpur Economic Corridor under the National Highways (Original) Programme.
The project will be implemented by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) on Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT-Toll) mode, along with the operation and maintenance of the existing Kanpur–Kabrai stretch of NH-34.
The highway is expected to provide seamless high-speed connectivity between Kanpur and Kabrai while improving access to Sagar, Bhopal and other parts of Madhya Pradesh, strengthening links between industrial centres in Uttar Pradesh and the mineral-rich, manufacturing and agricultural regions of Madhya Pradesh.
Designed for operating speeds of 80–100 kmph, the corridor will reduce travel time between Kanpur and Kabrai from 3.5 hours to 1.5 hours, cutting journey time by nearly 58 per cent.
It is also expected to improve road safety, reduce vehicle operating costs and facilitate faster movement of passenger and freight traffic.
The project will connect with NH-34, NH-35, the Bundelkhand Expressway, Kanpur Ring Road and several state highways, while enhancing connectivity to the Kabrai mining belt for efficient movement of minerals, industrial goods, construction materials and agricultural produce.
Aligned with the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan, the corridor will improve connectivity to 16 economic nodes, including major industrial areas in Unnao, Banther, Pankhi, Rania, Jainpur, Rooma, Chakeri, Sumerpur and Bhuragarh. It will also provide better access to nine social nodes and 10 logistics nodes, including railway stations and airports in the region.
The government said the project is expected to generate nearly 1.2 crore person-days of employment during construction, including about 11,188 direct and 13,985 indirect person-days of employment per lane per kilometre.
The corridor is projected to carry an Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) of around 18,069 Passenger Car Units (PCUs) by FY2028, contributing to improved logistics efficiency, industrial growth and economic development across Bundelkhand and adjoining regions of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
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