In a strategic push to reshape urban mobility and decongest traffic in one of Uttar Pradesh’s most industrially active cities, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is fast-tracking the long-awaited 93.20-kilometre Ring Road project in Kanpur.
With tenders for the final pending stretch Package 2A—expected to be awarded within a month, the city is a step closer to achieving a more efficient, sustainable, and integrated transport system. The Rs 4,077 crore greenfield project, conceptualised to ease vehicular load on inner-city roads and promote seamless inter-regional connectivity, is being executed in four packages. While Packages 1, 2B and 4 are under active construction, the critical Package 2A—an 8-km segment from Mandhana-Bithoor to Trans Ganga City—faced delays due to technical reasons. Initially floated in February 2025, the tender had to be scrapped, disappointing officials who had already overseen the acquisition of land. However, the retendering process initiated in March is now nearing conclusion.
NHAI officials confirmed that over 700 hectares of land have been acquired for the entire project, and construction on the final leg will commence as soon as the tender is awarded. A sum of Rs 972 crore has been earmarked for Package 2A alone, including nearly Rs 98 crore for land acquisition. The Ring Road is being positioned as a critical infrastructural backbone for the Kanpur metropolitan region. It is designed not only to divert heavy freight and through-traffic away from the city core but also to connect emerging economic zones, including the Defence Corridor and Trans Ganga City, to national highway networks. With rapid urbanisation putting pressure on ageing city infrastructure, the Ring Road is expected to act as a catalyst for planned urban expansion and sustainable growth.
Officials assert that construction is progressing at a swift pace across the other three packages. The 19-km Package 2B segment connects Trans Ganga City to the Lucknow Expressway via Unnao and Shuklaganj, while Package 1 spans from Sachendi to Maharajpur. Package 4 connects Jarkala to Pakri through the Defence Corridor. Once completed, the Ring Road is anticipated to dramatically reduce travel time for freight and passenger vehicles, mitigate air pollution by reducing idling in congested zones, and open up new zones for residential and commercial development. Importantly, the project also complements national climate goals by promoting more efficient vehicular movement and reducing emissions.
With an expected completion timeline set for 2027, the Kanpur Ring Road will serve as a showcase for how integrated urban planning, coupled with infrastructure modernisation, can address the complex mobility challenges facing Indian cities. The project’s success could also offer a replicable model for similar tier-two cities battling unplanned sprawl and worsening traffic conditions. The final push for Package 2A’s tender signals a renewed commitment to ensuring timely delivery of public infrastructure and reflects the growing alignment between economic growth and sustainable urban design.
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