Overview
- A stretch of the Lucknow–Kanpur Greenfield Elevated Expressway showed sinking and surface damage after heavy rains, with video of the defect circulating on July 26 and prompting local traffic controls.
- The National Highways Authority of India said the problem was a slippage of the bituminous wearing coat over about 40 metres rather than a full structural cave-in and that repair work finished within hours with no injuries reported.
- Patel Infrastructure and project managers carried out the on-site patch repairs and reopened the carriageway to traffic after barricades and temporary fixes were installed.
- The 63 km expressway was built using Automated/Intelligent Machine-Guided Construction at an estimated cost of Rs 4,200–4,700 crore, and earlier reports of soil erosion and pre‑opening damage have amplified concerns about oversight and long‑term durability.
- Public and political criticism has intensified after the project’s high-profile inauguration, and no independent technical inquiry has been announced even as authorities and opposition figures call for clearer accountability and monsoon-proofing measures.