The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, today has approved the construction of 117.7 km Kanpur–Kabrai Access-Controlled Greenfield Highway, a four-lane access-controlled corridor with structures designed for future six-laning, forming a key segment of the Bhopal–Kanpur Economic Corridor under the National Highways (O) Programme. With an estimated total capital cost of Rs.7145.14 crore, the project will be implemented by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) on BOT (Toll) mode, together with the operation and maintenance of the existing Kanpur-Kabrai section of NH-34.
The project will provide seamless, high-speed connectivity between Kanpur and Kabrai, while strengthening onward connectivity to Sagar, Bhopal and other parts of Madhya Pradesh, thereby creating a modern access controlled economic corridor linking the industrial and commercial centres of Uttar Pradesh with mineral-rich, manufacturing and agricultural regions of Madhya Pradesh thereby improving.
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 (58%), while improving road safety, reducing vehicle operating costs and facilitating efficient movement of passenger and freight traffic. The project will also provide strategic connectivity with NH-34, NH-35, the Bundelkhand Expressway, Kanpur Ring Road, and State Highways SH-46, SH-91, SH-10B and SH-42, thereby strengthening integration with the regional highway network. The corridor further strengthen connectivity to the Kabrai mining belt, improving the movement of minerals, industrial goods, construction materials and agricultural produce, thereby enhancing logistics efficiency, supply chain resilience and regional economic development.
Aligned with the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan, the project will improve connectivity to 16 Economic Nodes, including the Unnao, Banther, Pankhi, Rania, Jainpur, Rooma, Chakeri, Sumerpur and Bhuragarh Industrial Areas, Trans Ganga Integrated Township, Growth Centre Jaipur, Kanpur Nagar Node and Bengal Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals Ltd. It will also strengthen connectivity to 9 Social Nodes, namely Fatehpur, Mahoba, Kanpur Zoological Park, Buddha Park, J.K. Temple & Garden, Radha Krishna Temple, Siddheshwar Mahadev Temple, Gopeshwar Mandir and Mahoba Tourist Place, and 10 Logistics Nodes, including Kanpur, Ghatampur, Hamirpur, Mahoba, Kabrai, Bharwa Sumerpur and Banda Railway Stations, together with Kanpur, Chakeri and Khajuraho Airports.
Overall, improve logistics competitiveness, industrial development and economic growth across Bundelkhand and adjoining regions of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, while advancing the objectives of PM GatiShakti.
The project is expected to generate approximately 11,188 direct and 13,985 indirect person-days of employment per lane per km during construction and is projected to carry an Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) of about 18,069 Passenger Car Units (PCUs) by FY 2028, underscoring its long-term economic, logistics and transport significance. The proposed project will thus generate close to 1.2 Crore person-days of direct employment and indirect employment.
