NHAI Acts After Kanpur-Lucknow Expressway Damage

NHAI said a 300-metre stretch near kilometre 64 on the right-hand side of the 63-kilometre expressway experienced a slippage on 26 July 2026.

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has launched a series of disciplinary and corrective measures after a section of the Kanpur-Lucknow Expressway developed structural issues, leading to action against the concessionaire, project engineers and officials responsible for supervising the project.

The authority said the damaged stretch has been secured and traffic has been diverted around the affected area, allowing vehicles to continue moving without major disruption while restoration work is underway.

Concessionaire faces strict action

NHAI said a 300-metre stretch near kilometre 64 on the right-hand side of the 63-kilometre expressway experienced a slippage on 26 July 2026. Restoration work began immediately, while a detailed technical assessment was ordered to determine the cause of the failure.

The authority has issued a notice proposing that concessionaire M/s PNC Infratech Ltd. be declared a non-performer, a move that would make the company ineligible to bid for future NHAI projects. A separate show-cause notice also proposes a penalty equal to two per cent of the company's performance security, along with debarment proceedings of up to three years against the Head of Pavement/Highways and other responsible staff members.

NHAI has also directed the company to repair the damaged section entirely at its own expense. The cost of the rectification work has been estimated at around ₹3 crore, with no financial burden falling on the authority.

Officials removed over supervision lapses

The authority has also acted against officials responsible for project monitoring and quality control. Project Manager Vivek Kumar Gupta, Independent Engineer Team Leader Surendra Kumar and Resident Engineer Yatendra Kumar have all been removed from the project and barred from participating in projects under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), NHAI and the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) for two years.

Present Project Director Nakul Prakash Verma has been repatriated to his parent department, while charge sheets are being issued against both Verma and former Project Director Saurabh Chaurasia over alleged negligence during the execution and supervision of the project.

NHAI is also issuing a notice proposing the debarment of M/s Theme Engineering Services Pvt. Ltd., the independent engineering consultant responsible for overseeing the project.

Expert panel begins technical investigation

To assess the overall condition of the expressway, NHAI has decided to deploy Laser Profilometer technology, which will carry out a detailed evaluation of the pavement across the entire project stretch.

An expert committee led by Professor K. S. Reddy of IIT Kharagpur has also been appointed to investigate the incident. The team will identify the reasons behind the pavement failure and recommend technical measures to prevent similar issues in future highway projects.

Toll collection suspended during repairs

NHAI has suspended toll collection on the Kanpur-Lucknow Expressway until the damaged section has been fully repaired and declared safe for normal operations.

The authority said road users will not be charged any toll during this period, while the financial loss resulting from the suspension will be recovered from the concessionaire.

NHAI said the action reflects its commitment to maintaining high standards of construction quality, road safety and accountability across India's national highway network.