Lucknow-Kanpur Expressway open with diversions, NHAI races to fix damaged stretch

Authority targets October 10 repair deadline after recent expressway slab damage; crash barriers under safety scanner

LUCKNOW Repairs on the damaged elevated section of the newly opened Lucknow-Kanpur Expressway are expected to conclude within the next 21 days, with National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) officials targeting an October 10 completion date.

The expressway, which has remained under intense public scrutiny due to widespread surface cracking since its inauguration, suffered a failure recently when a 2 to 2.5-metre-wide concrete slab broke off from the elevated structure near Azad Guest House in Banthra and plunged to the ground below. (Pic for representation)

The expressway, which has remained under intense public scrutiny due to widespread surface cracking since its inauguration, suffered a failure recently when a 2 to 2.5-metre-wide concrete slab broke off from the elevated structure near Azad Guest House in Banthra and plunged to the ground below.

The collapse triggered a technical assessment to determine the cause of the concrete failure and identify any underlying structural deficiencies

The incident also raised a safety question over the crash barriers lining the elevated corridor. Experts are now questioning whether the current design, anchoring and continuity of the barriers are sufficient to prevent a vehicle from breaching the edge in the event of a high-speed collision.

However, chief general manager and regional officer, UP NHAI, Gautam Vishal said: “The concrete strength would be duly checked and eight days would be given to the concrete to dry.”

He said any news of no movement of traffic on the Lucknow Kanpur expressway is false; the expressway traffic is managed well but there are some diversions due to ongoing repair works. On an elevated highway, crash barriers are a critical last line of protection because any failure or inadequate containment can have more serious consequences than on a road at ground level.

Their design, anchoring, continuity, strength and compatibility with the elevated structure therefore become important aspects of overall road safety.

The latest incident prompted questions over whether safety barriers and protective structures along the entire elevated stretch have been subjected to adequate post-construction inspection before being exposed to regular traffic.

NHAI officials said the ongoing repair work is expected to be completed within 21 days, putting the target completion around the beginning of October. The affected section will be restored after the necessary technical and repair work is completed. Till now, PNC Infratech, the concessionaire, has carried out repairs on the expressway at more than 80 places.