After an 11-year hiatus, construction on the Upper Ganga Canal Expressway, connecting Dehradun to Noida, is all set to resume. While construction on the eight-lane expressway began in 2013, work on it came to an abrupt halt. However, preparations are now underway to revive and form the 147.8 km route and soon.
The project, budgeted at ₹8,700 crore, will run alongside the Ganga Canal (thus, the name).
Aiming to enhance connectivity between Noida, Greater Noida and Dehradun, the route will extend from Greater Noida to Sanauta, passing through Ghaziabad, Meerut, Muzaffarnagar and Purkazi before reaching the UP-Uttarakhand border.
Additionally, in order to strengthen regional infrastructure, land has been designated at six locations and a 23.5 km link expressway is expected to connect South-West Meerut to Meerut Airport and the DFC terminal. Commuters can also expect another 3.5 km expressway near the NH-24 at Dasna Falls.
Beyond improving road networks and offering much-needed connectivity, the initiative is expected to drive tourism, support water sports and kickstart upgradation work at seven different hydroelectric power plants along the canal.
As per the government, the construction is slated to be completed by November 2025.
