New Delhi, July 1 (IANS) 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 — a four-lane access-controlled corridor with structures designed for future six-laning. The project will form a key segment of the Bhopal–Kanpur Economic Corridor under the National Highways Programme.

The project will be implemented by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) with an investment of Rs 7,145.14 crore, on BOT (toll) mode, together with the operation and maintenance of the existing Kanpur-Kabrai section of NH-34, according to an official statement.

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.

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, while improving road safety, reducing vehicle operating costs and facilitating efficient movement of passenger and freight traffic, the statement said.

“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,” said the statement.

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.

The project will 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 of about 18,069 passenger car units 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, the statement added.

–IANS

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