The much-anticipated Gorakhpur Link Expressway is almost ready for public use, with officials confirming it will become operational within the next 15 days. Spanning 91.35 kilometres, the expressway links Jaitpur village in Sahjanwa (Gorakhpur) to Salarpur on the Purvanchal Expressway in Azamgarh.
Game-Changer for Eastern Uttar Pradesh
Once open, the expressway will significantly reduce travel time between Gorakhpur and key cities like Lucknow, Varanasi, and Prayagraj. Travel between Lucknow and Gorakhpur, currently a five-hour journey, is expected to drop to just three and a half hours.
Designed for Speed and Scale
Vehicles on the new expressway will be allowed to travel at speeds of up to 120 km/h. The four-lane road, which can be expanded to six lanes in the future, features impressive infrastructure:
- 16 vehicle underpasses
- 50 minor underpasses
- 35 pedestrian underpasses
- 7 flyovers
- 34 bridges (including 7 major ones)
- 2 toll plazas
A 600-metre overpass at Sikriganj is still under construction and will take another two months to complete. However, traffic will be allowed on the expressway even while this work continues.
Final Touches Underway
Originally scheduled for an April opening, the launch was delayed due to pending soil work and river straightening at Kamhariya Ghat. These tasks have now been completed using geo-textile tubes and iron sheets to reinforce the bridge approach.
PP Verma, Executive Engineer at UPEDA, confirmed that all remaining tasks, including service road work in Sikriganj, will be wrapped up within two weeks.
Economic Boost for the Region
Officials revealed that an industrial corridor is also being planned along the expressway, expected to benefit regions like Sant Kabir Nagar, Ambedkar Nagar, and Azamgarh. With direct access to the Purvanchal Expressway, eastern UP towns will now connect more efficiently to Delhi and Agra, enhancing trade, mobility, and regional development.
