Rs 4,200-crore UP expressway sinks within weeks of opening, road dug up again

Barely three weeks after it opened to traffic, parts of the newly built Kanpur-Lucknow Expressway have developed repeated instances of sinking and surface slippage, forcing authorities to dig up and rebuild damaged stretches. At several locations, traffic has been restricted to a single carriageway, while near the Unnao entry point, motorists are being forced to take U-turns and drive on the wrong side of the road due to ongoing repair work.A ground assessment by India Today TV found repair work underway at multiple locations, with heavy machinery deployed to excavate damaged portions and reconstruct the pavement. At one of the worst-affected locations, a stretch of around 300 metres is being dug up as a preventive measure after the road developed problems more than once.The disruption has now prompted the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to suspend toll collection across the entire expressway until the affected stretches are fully repaired. It has also initiated action against concessionaire PNC Infratech, officials responsible for project supervision and the project's independent engineer.The expressway, built at a cost of around Rs 4,200 crore, was inaugurated on July 13 to improve connectivity between Lucknow and Kanpur. The first major signs of trouble emerged on the night of July 26, when sinking and slippage were reported near kilometre 64, just 13 days after the opening. SAME STRETCH REPAIRED AGAINAt kilometre 64, where some of the most extensive work is underway, excavators could be seen cutting through the carriageway while rollers compacted freshly laid material.NHAI officials said the initial problem was detected along a roughly 120-metre patch. About 100 metres of the bituminous surface was repaired, while around 20 metres was completely excavated and reconstructed. But the problem did not end there. Further inspection raised concerns that water might have penetrated other portions of the pavement, prompting NHAI to excavate and reconstruct a much larger, roughly 300-metre stretch.Minor slippages were subsequently reported at three or four other locations. Following further rainfall, complaints of surface erosion and settlement emerged at several patches along the expressway.On the ground, the impact is clearly visible. At some damaged sections, the surface has deteriorated enough for portions of the pavement material to crumble. Heavy machinery, including JCBs and rollers, has been deployed as workers remove damaged layers and lay fresh material.The repeated repairs have raised questions over the construction quality of an expressway that has been operational for only a few weeks.TRAFFIC ON SAME CARRIAGEWAY AS REPAIRSThe repairs have also created a difficult traffic situation.With one carriageway shut at affected locations, vehicles travelling from Lucknow to Kanpur and those heading in the opposite direction are being routed through the same operational side.At another location inspected by India Today TV, problems had emerged even on the carriageway being used to handle two-way traffic. Barricades had been erected and repair work was underway while vehicles continued to pass nearby.The situation is particularly concerning because the expressway was designed for speeds of up to 120 kmph. Though NHAI says the official speed limit has not been reduced, barricades, diversions and repair zones have forced motorists to slow considerably.“The road has been designed for a speed of 120 kmph. The limit has not been reduced,” an NHAI official said.PAY TOLL, THEN DRIVE ON WRONG SIDEThe problems are particularly acute near the Unnao entry point. Vehicles entering through the toll plaza are unable to continue straight because of barricades placed further ahead. Instead, drivers have been asked to take a U-turn and travel against the normal direction of traffic before eventually joining the operational carriageway.Several motorists said that they were not warned about the diversion before entering the expressway.One commuter from Unnao said his FASTag payment was deducted before he was informed about the arrangement.“They deducted my FASTag first and only then told me to take a U-turn and go towards Lucknow from the wrong side,” he said.The commuter said the diversion left motorists worried about both safety and traffic penalties.“There is obviously a problem. I don't know, I may even get a challan for driving on the wrong side,” he said.Another motorist complained that drivers were being informed only after paying the toll.“They collected the toll and didn't say anything at that time. After collecting the toll, they are giving us a surprise,” he said.“If we have to drive on the wrong side, they should have informed us. It would have been better to keep the ramp closed,” he added.COMMUTERS FLAG BUMPY, SUNKEN PATCHESMotorists also complained about the condition of other stretches of the newly opened road. One commuter who had travelled on the expressway two days earlier said several portions appeared to have sunk.“The road was very bad at several places. At some points it felt completely sunken. If you drive at 100 kmph, the vehicle starts bouncing,” he said.Repeated diversions, repair work and toll charges have also prompted some motorists to return to older routes between Kanpur and Lucknow.NHAI, however, has maintained that the problems are limited in scale and the vast majority of the expressway remains unaffected.“The total length is 63 km and if both sides are counted, it is 126 km. We have identified five locations and even if all five are put together, the affected length is less than one kilometre,” an NHAI official said.NHAI BLAMES WATER INGRESS, EXPERT PROBE ORDEREDNHAI's preliminary assessment points to rainwater penetrating the pavement and reaching the soil underneath.“Prima facie, after inspection, it appears that water somehow entered the road. Rainwater percolated down and reached the soil underneath. When we excavated the portion, we found wet soil below. The damage appears to have occurred because of water,” the official said.According to technical experts, several factors determine the durability of a road, including soil quality, compaction of different layers, drainage and the quality and temperature of the bituminous material used during construction.If water penetrates the pavement and reaches inadequately protected or weakened underlying layers, the soil can lose strength or settle, resulting in deformation of the road above.NHAI has said material removed from the affected portions has been sent for testing and laboratory reports are awaited.“The materials that have been removed have been sent for testing. The report has not come yet,” the official said, adding that preliminary examination indicated the construction material itself appeared satisfactory.“Prima facie, the materials appear to be fine. It appears that water entered the soil underneath and, as the soil settled, the surface above also sank.”NHAI has appointed an expert team from IIT Kharagpur to investigate the root cause and recommend corrective measures. The team is being led by Professor K S Reddy.A detailed assessment of the pavement across the expressway is also being carried out using laser profilometer technology. NHAI plans another safety audit after the immediate rectification work is completed and the expert findings are received.PNC INFRATECH FACES NON-PERFORMER TAGThe problems have triggered a wider accountability exercise.NHAI has issued notices proposing to declare concessionaire PNC Infratech Ltd a “non-performer”, a step that could affect the company's eligibility to participate in future NHAI tenders.Two show-cause notices have also been issued to the company. The proposed action includes a penalty equivalent to 2 per cent of the performance security and debarment proceedings of up to three years against the Head of Pavement/Highways and other personnel found responsible.The concessionaire's Pavement Condition Index rating could also be downgraded, potentially affecting its eligibility for future projects.PNC has been directed to carry out the entire rectification at its own cost. NHAI estimates the work will cost around Rs 3 crore.“Whatever rectification work is being carried out is being done at the concessionaire's cost, not NHAI's cost. Whatever damages are applicable under the contract will also be imposed,” the NHAI official said.The authority said the expressway was developed under the Hybrid Annuity Model, or HAM and the concessionaire remains responsible for defects during the stipulated concession period.“This project is under the HAM model, not the EPC model. It is their responsibility for 15 years. If any defect occurs during this period, they have to rectify it at their own cost,” the official said.OFFICIALS REMOVED, PROJECT DIRECTOR REPATRIATEDAction has also been initiated against officials and engineers responsible for supervising the project.Construction agency project manager Vivek Kumar Gupta, independent engineer team leader Surendra Kumar and resident engineer Yatendra Kumar have been removed from the project and barred for two years from participating in projects of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, NHAI and NHIDCL.Current Project Director Nakul Prakash Verma has been repatriated to his parent department. Charge sheets are also being issued against Verma and former Project Director Saurabh Chaurasia over alleged negligence in discharging their responsibilities.NHAI has additionally issued a debarment notice to Theme Engineering Services Pvt Ltd, the independent engineer for the project, proposing restrictions on its participation in future NHAI projects.“The former project director who supervised the work has been issued a charge sheet. A charge sheet has also been issued to the present project director,” the official said.TOLL SUSPENDED ACROSS EXPRESSWAYWith repair work continuing and commuters facing repeated diversions, NHAI has now suspended toll collection until rectification is complete.“The Authority has decided to suspend toll collection. We are suspending the toll from now and will not collect toll until the rectification work is completed,” the official said.The suspension applies to the entire Kanpur-Lucknow Expressway because it operates through a single closed-tolling system, under which motorists are charged according to their entry and exit points.“There is only one tolling agency for the Lucknow-Kanpur Expressway and it follows a closed-tolling system. The toll has been suspended on the entire expressway,” the official said.NHAI said commuters would not bear toll charges during the suspension and the resulting revenue loss would be recovered from PNC Infratech.“Whatever toll loss occurs will be recovered from the concessionaire, PNC,” the official said.For commuters, however, the immediate concern remains the journey itself. Barricades, excavated stretches, two-way traffic on a single carriageway and wrong-side diversions have turned what was designed as a high-speed link between two of Uttar Pradesh's biggest cities into a difficult drive.With the monsoon continuing, the larger question is whether the repairs will provide a permanent solution, or whether another spell of heavy rain will expose fresh weaknesses on one of Uttar Pradesh's newest expressways.- EndsPublished On: Aug 6, 2026 09:41 IST