Lucknow-Kanpur Highway: Efforts underway to alleviate gridlock as elevated road construction continues
To mitigate the traffic issues arising from the construction of the elevated road on the Kanpur Highway, an official from the traffic department announced plans to reroute heavy vehicles directly from Kanpur.
LUCKNOW The Lucknow district administration and traffic police have formulated plans to eliminate encroachments along the Lucknow-Kanpur road to ensure a smoother flow of traffic during the construction of the elevated road.
Heavy traffic congestion has plagued the Lucknow-Kanpur road due to the ongoing construction of an elevated road section from Sarojini Nagar to Unnao. The traffic police and district administration teams have pinpointed encroachments on the service lanes as a primary contributor to the frequent traffic jams on the Lucknow-Kanpur road.
In response to the challenges posed by the construction of the elevated road on the Kanpur Highway, the district administration and traffic police conducted a comprehensive survey of Kanpur Road. Subsequently, a meeting was convened in Unnao on Saturday.
To mitigate the traffic issues arising from the construction of the elevated road on the Kanpur Highway, an official from the traffic department announced plans to reroute heavy vehicles directly from Kanpur.
Simultaneously, the weekly markets that typically emerge in Gauri, Banthra, and Chillawan along Kanpur Road will be relocated to alleviate road congestion. This strategy was devised during the Unnao meeting, which saw the participation of officers from Kanpur Nagar, Kanpur Dehat, Hamirpur, Fatehpur, Rae Bareli, and Lucknow.
On Friday, divisional commissioner Roshan Jacob instructed officials to conduct a survey extending up to the Unnao border. The subsequent Saturday witnessed a joint inspection of the highway by teams from the district administration and the traffic department. During the inspection, it was discovered that the road leading to Bani was in a state of disrepair, while the service lane was excessively encroached upon and could not be widened.
The survey team identified potential safety hazards due to the presence of large cranes, which could lead to accidents when heavy vehicles pass through. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) was contacted to address potholes, prompting road repairs at Junabganj and Scooter India. The team is also devising alternative routes for heavy vehicles to ensure a continuous flow of traffic.
The survey findings revealed that drivers often park heavy vehicles on the service lanes, causing traffic disruptions. The divisional commissioner has issued directives to prohibit parking on the service lane, with traffic police and local law enforcement tasked with taking necessary action.
In a bid to combat encroachments that obstruct roadways, the Divisional Commissioner has also emphasised the importance of adopting a stern approach. Additionally, NHAI will be installing signboards at various locations.
Weekly markets in Gauri, Banthra, and Chillawan on Kanpur Road will be relocated to other areas. Special plans are in the works to ease congestion at key points along Kanpur Road, including Bani, Junabganj Crossing, Banthra, Scooter India Crossing, Hydel Crossing, Gauri Bazaar, and Chillawan Bazaar.
A diversion plan for heavy vehicles originating from Sitapur, Sandila, Barabanki, and Haidergarh will be implemented, directing them onto interior roads to relieve highway congestion.
During the Friday meeting, the divisional commissioner urged officials to bolster manpower to expedite construction work.
