Toll suspended on Rs 4,200 Kanpur-Lucknow Expressway just 13 days after opening

['Dheeraj Mishra Bhupendra Pandey', "Dheeraj Mishra Is A Principal Correspondent With The Business Bureau Of The Indian Express. He Plays A Critical Role In Covering India'S Massive Infrastructure Sectors", 'Providing In-Depth Reporting On The Connectivity Lifelines Of The Nation. Expertise', 'Focus Areas', "Mishra S Journalism Is Focused On Two Of The Country'S Most Capital-Intensive", 'Public-Facing Ministries', 'Ministry Of Railways', 'Tracking The Operations', 'Safety', "Development Of India'S Vast Railway Network."] The Indian Express 2026-08-05 17:43:38

Following multiple failures and major deficiencies reported on the 63-km Kanpur-Lucknow Expressway within 13 days of its opening, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has suspended toll collection until the issues are fully rectified. To conduct a technical investigation into the incident, it said an expert committee from IIT Kharagpur has been constituted. A senior NHAI official said the rectification would cost around Rs 3 crore and that the contractor would have to bear the cost without any financial implication for NHAI. The issue went viral on social media, with several highway users questioning NHAI and the contractor over the quality of the Rs 4,200-crore expressway. The SP, in a post on X, alleged that the expressway required repairs for the second time in 17 days.