Expressway to turn Lucknow-Kanpur into twin cities

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LUCKNOW: Exemplary economic growth in the national capital region (NCR) comprising Noida, Greater Noida and Ghaziabad and the resultant prosperity in these satellite towns has inspired the state government to replicate the model on the Lucknow-Kanpur highway too.
Samajwadi Party is keen to develop the national highway between Lucknow and Kanpur into a hi-tech expressway which will reduce the commuting time. The 90-km road stretch is broken in patches and presently takes about 2.5 hours to shuffle between the two cities.

At a recently organised high level meeting, officials of housing and urban development department have been instructed to work on plans to develop Kanpur as a twin city of Lucknow and improve connectivity between the two. Sources said the government wants to develop a robust transport infrastructure between the two cities on the lines of Noida and Greater Noida.

It is estimated that once the stretch is developed into an expressway, it will take less than an hour to reach Kanpur from Lucknow and vice versa. An official said “a lot of private builders are encroaching land available on both sides of the highway. To prevent this, organised planning will be done to develop infrastructure and housing projects along the highway.”

The corridor is projected have space for malls, shopping complexes, apartments and residential projects, townships, commercial complexes, industries, etc. The drive would be easier on an uninterrupted road till Kanpur. An expressway means a smooth route which is not interrupted by a road, railway track or a traffic signal and has a continuous stretch of divider.

Once ready, the corridor will be a boon for all those who shunt between the two cities for education, employment, business and trade activities. The NH-25 sees heavy traffic movement everyday as it connects the state capital with Kanpur, known as an industrial centre.

Divisional commissioner of Kanpur has been instructed to plan alternative bus stations in Vikasnagar, Vijaynagar and Jajmau to reduce traffic burden on Jhakarkati bus stand on the highway. The government has sought suggestions from a few experts in the field for planning an overall development of the area between Lucknow and Kanpur.

Besides, a Delhi-based consultant has been roped in to prepare integrated development plans for cities like Kanpur, Agra and Varanasi which would comprise development of roads, flyovers, underpasses, street lights, public amenities, greenery, proper drainage, water supply, housing projects, commercial zones, etc. Divisional commissioners of all cities have also been asked to submit reports to the government in a week.

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