The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has initiated a full inquiry into new road surface damage on the recently opened Lucknow-Kanpur Expressway. The defects appeared less than a month after the highway began operations, prompting the authority to debar three engineers while the investigation is underway.
Damage Reported Near Korari
The latest damage was observed near Korari in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao district, specifically at the approach embankment of a bridge. This section has required repair work, leading to a diversion of traffic in the affected area.
NHAI Project Director Nakul Prakash Verma clarified to news agency PTI that the problem is confined to the bridge's approach embankment and not the bridge structure itself. He noted that the damage re-emerged near a previously repaired 20-meter section. Consequently, NHAI has decided to repair the entire 220-meter approach stretch.
Traffic has been rerouted near the Korari toll plaza, and officials anticipate that repairs will be completed within two days, allowing for the resumption of normal traffic flow.
Inquiry Launched, Engineers Debarred
Verma stated that it would be inaccurate to characterize the incidents as five distinct cases of road subsidence, emphasizing that most of the damage has been limited to the same approach section. An inquiry committee has been formed to thoroughly examine the root causes of the recurring damage, with further actions to follow based on its report.
As an interim measure, NHAI has debarred two independent engineers and one maintenance engineer who were associated with the construction agency responsible for the project.
The Project Director also mentioned that advanced technologies, such as Automated Intelligence Machine Guided Construction (AIMGC), were employed during the expressway's construction to ensure proper compaction and quality. However, he clarified that such systems are not designed to predict future road damage.
Expressway Opened Last Month
The Lucknow-Kanpur Expressway, a significant infrastructure project costing approximately ₹4,200 crore, was officially inaugurated on July 13 by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, alongside Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. It was opened to traffic the following day.
This latest incident marks the second technical issue reported on the expressway since its operational launch.