Purvanchal Expressway: Opening date, route map, starting point, connecting cities, total distance, budget

New Delhi, Nov 14: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate Uttar Pradesh's much ambitious Purvanchal Expressway at Karwal Kheri in Sultanpur district at around 1:30 PM on Tuesday.

From Distance to Connecting Cities, Know All About Purvanchal Expressway

The Purvanchal Expressway is 341 Km long. It starts from village Chaudsarai, district Lucknow located on Lucknow-Sultanpur road (NH-731) and ends at village Hydaria located on National Highway No. 31, 18 km east of UP-Bihar border.

The expressway, which is constructed at an estimated cost of about Rs 22,500 crore, is 6-lane wide which can be expanded to 8-lane in future.

The project was announced by the former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Akhilesh Yadav as Lucknow-Azamgarh-Ballia Expressway in May 2015. However, the plans underwent changes after the BJP came to power in the state.

Yogi Adityanath's government changed the project to Lucknow-Azamgarh-Ghazipur, and upon acquisition of around 95% of the required land, the foundation stone of Purvanchal Expressway was laid on 14 July 2018 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Timeline (Source: Wikipedia)

May 2015: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav announces the Lucknow-Azamgarh-Ballia Expressway or Samajwadi Purvanchal Expressway.
Nov 2015: The Lucknow-Azamgarh-Ballia Expressway was renamed as Purvanchal Expressway.
Dec 2016: Akhilesh Yadav, then Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh lays the foundation stone of Lucknow-Azamgarh-Ballia Expressway on 22 December 2016.
May 2017: Yogi Adityanath government cancels tenders issued by the previous Akhilesh Yadav government, stating that currently only 40.17% of needed land is acquired. The fresh tenders will be issued, when at least 80% of the required land will be acquired. UP Government orders faster land acquisition.
Sep 2017: 60% land acquired at cost of ₹4,500 crore. Total land acquisition may cost up to ₹6,500 crore. NITI Aayog says the Central Government may bear construction cost, if UP government bears the land acquisition cost.
Jan 2018: 85% land acquisition done, foundation stone to be laid in March 2018.
Apr 2018: 91% land acquired. Request for Proposal (RFP) document floated.
Jul 2018: On 14 July 2018, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of Purvanchal Expressway (Lucknow-Azamgarh-Ghazipur Expressway) at Azamgarh. Tender awarded for road construction to 5 firms for 8 packages.
Oct 2018: Construction work started on 10 October for Package 2 to 8.
Nov 2018: Construction work started by Gayatri Projects on 24 November for Package-1.
Feb 2019: The Government of Uttar Pradesh allocated ₹1,194 crores in UP Budget 2019.
Jul 2019: Proposal to extend the Purvanchal Expressway to Ballia.
Sep 2019: 97% of earth work completed. To check the progress of construction work without physical inspection.
Oct 2019: 20% of construction work is completed.
Apr 2020: Work resumed after being on-hold for nearly a month due to COVID-19.
Aug 2020: 52% of construction work completed, as of 10 August.
Jun 2021: 90% of construction work and 928 out of total 934 structures completed as of 28 June.
Jul 2021: 95% of construction work and 930 out of total 934 structures completed as of 26 July. The deadline for construction work was October 2021.
Aug 2021: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari announced on 28 August 2021 that the Government of India will construct Ghazipur-Arrah-Patna Expressway at an event in Arrah, Bihar.
Sep 2021: On 10 September, CM Yogi Adityanath confirmed to inaugurate the expressway in October 2021. 97% of construction work completed as of 20 September.
Nov 2021: The expressway will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 16 November.

As per Wikipedia, the expressway is to be linked with Varanasi-Azamgarh highway through a separate link road. Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA) is also constructing the Gorakhpur Link Expressway, which will connect Jaitpur village in Gorakhpur district with Purvanchal Expressway at Salarpur village in Azamgarh district.

Upon the completion of 17 km long, 4-lane wide Buxar-Ghazipur Elevated Road (Bharauli in Buxar to Haydaria in Ghazipur), Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh will be directly connected to Arrah and Patna in Bihar by Purvanchal Expressway and NH-922.

Route Map, Connecting Cities

The Purvanchal Expressway passes through 9 districts of Uttar Pradesh i.e. (from west to east) Lucknow, Barabanki, Amethi, Sultanpur, Ayodhya, Ambedkar Nagar, Azamgarh, Mau and Ghazipur.

It is expected to give a boost to the economic development of the eastern part of Uttar Pradesh especially the districts of Lucknow, Barabanki, Amethi, Ayodhya, Sultanpur, Ambedkar Nagar, Azamgarh, Mau and Ghazipur.

The following entry/exit points are present in the expressway: