Sinking Road Forces NHAI to Suspend Toll on the Lucknow Kanpur Expressway

After several stretches of the expressway caved in during the rains, NHAI halted toll collection until further orders on Wednesday and removed the project manager.

Drivers using the new expressway between Lucknow and Kanpur will not have to pay a single rupee in toll for now. On Wednesday, the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) decided to stop collecting toll on this route until further orders. The trigger is the road caving in again and again, a problem that surfaced at one spot after another as soon as the rains set in, worrying both commuters and officials.

The authority has made it clear that no vehicle passing along the Lucknow Kanpur Expressway will be charged toll until the next order is issued. In effect, people travelling between the two cities get free movement until further notice.

Toll did not even last twenty days
Toll collection on this expressway began on 13 July 2026. But barely twenty days into it, the road started sinking at several points. A brand new highway settling like this raises serious questions, because people had switched to it precisely to save time and money.

What NHAI decided
Faced with the repeated cave-ins, the authority took two big steps. First, toll collection was suspended temporarily. Second, the expressway's project manager was removed from the post. Alongside this, a probe has been ordered to find out exactly why a road this new is settling so quickly.

What the trip used to cost
When collection started, a car was charged 275 rupees for a one-way journey on the expressway. A driver who returned within 24 hours saved 135 rupees, making a round trip a little cheaper. With collection now paused, that charge does not apply for the time being.

Commuters lose confidence
The steady stream of reports about the road caving in unsettled travellers. It reached a point where around 30 per cent of vehicles left the expressway and went back to the old highway, fearing that driving at high speed on the new road could be risky.

Officials embarrassed, speed limit under review
The cave-ins have left the officials tied to the project badly embarrassed. To bring things under control, there is also talk of lowering the speed limit on the expressway so that the chance of accidents stays low until repairs and the investigation are complete.

What this means for you
• Across India: A new road caving in repeatedly and toll being pulled overnight shows how the quality and accountability of recently built expressways is now under close scrutiny.
• In Uttar Pradesh: People travelling between Lucknow and Kanpur pay no toll for now, saving up to 275 rupees per one-way trip, though the speed limit may be reduced.

Questions & Answers

1. Why was the toll on the Lucknow Kanpur Expressway stopped?
NHAI suspended collection temporarily because several stretches of the road kept caving in during the rains.

2. Do I have to pay toll on this expressway now?
No. Until the next order is issued, no vehicle using the route will be charged toll.

3. When did toll collection start here?
Collection began on 13 July 2026, and the road started sinking within twenty days.

4. How much was the car toll?
A one-way car trip cost 275 rupees, with a saving of 135 rupees for returning within 24 hours.

5. What happened to the project manager?
The expressway's project manager was removed from the post, and an investigation into the matter has been ordered.

6. Are people going back to the old highway?
Yes. With confidence shaken, around 30 per cent of vehicles left the expressway and returned to the old highway.

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