The Kanpur-Lucknow expressway has hit a major roadblock as the ministry of environment, forest and climate change has not issued the mandatory no objection certificate (NOC). The ministry has red flagged certain points.
The project manager National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) NN Giri said efforts were underway to address the concerns of the ministry. The tenders for the project would open next week, he said.
In order find solution to the issues raised by the ministry, the project director would meet the chief conservator of forest in Lucknow in a day or two, said officials who are privy to developments.
The 62.75 km long and six lane expressway is one of the key projects. The NHAI has completed the land acquisition but the few patches of land marked for forest conservation are the major concern.
The area, where expressway and the ring road would merge near Lucknow, is the four hectares of forest land. “The three patches are the cause of concern in taking the NOC,” said one official.
The ₹4,500 crore expressway would run parallel to NH27 and would have two elevated portions between Amausi and Bani on the East end and it would run on the face till Azad Nagar in Unnao from Kanpur where it would get connected to the Ganga bridge.
{{/usCountry}}The ₹4,500 crore expressway would run parallel to NH27 and would have two elevated portions between Amausi and Bani on the East end and it would run on the face till Azad Nagar in Unnao from Kanpur where it would get connected to the Ganga bridge.
{{/usCountry}}This expressway would also be linked to the proposed ring road in Kanpur, Meerut-Prayagraj expressway and Unnao-Lalgunj highway.