Prime Minister’s flagship platform for Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation, PRAGATI, has marked a significant milestone with the successful conduct of its 50th meeting. Since its launch by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015, PRAGATI has transformed governance by enabling real-time monitoring and resolution of key infrastructure projects and public grievances through direct Prime Ministerial review. The platform exemplifies cooperative federalism, bringing together the Centre, States, and Union Ministries on a single digital interface. Over a decade, PRAGATI has helped accelerate decision-making, resolution of issues causing delay in key infrastructure projects, and instilled a strong culture of accountability. Today, in this special series, we take a look at the 6-Laning of the Chakeri to Allahabad Section of NH-2 located in Uttar Pradesh.
The 6-laning of the Chakeri – Allahabad section of old NH-2, now part of NH-19 in Uttar Pradesh, marks a critical milestone in upgrading one of India’s most important national transport corridors, the Delhi – Kolkata Golden Quadrilateral. Spanning approximately 145 km, the project traverses key districts including Kanpur Nagar, Fatehpur and Kaushambi, linking major industrial, commercial and pilgrimage centres such as Kanpur and Prayagraj. The project was sponsored by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and was sanctioned in March 2017. The core objective of the project was to upgrade capacity, reduce travel time and vehicle operating costs, enhance road safety, and catalyse socio-economic development in the state. Despite its strategic importance, the project encountered implementation challenges, land acquisition complexities and statutory clearances related to forest and environment and pending disbursement of compensation to landowners. These constraints risked cascading delays across the 145 km corridor
Recognising the national importance of the corridor, the project was reviewed under the PRAGATI mechanism in July 2019, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The review provided decisive, time-bound directions aimed at resolving the remaining bottlenecks and restoring execution momentum. During the meeting, the Uttar Pradesh Government was directed to expeditiously disburse the balance compensation, acquire and hand over the remaining land, and remove pending structures at the earliest to ensure the continuous availability of work fronts. Simultaneously, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, in close coordination with the State Government, was directed to accelerate overall project execution and ensure timely completion.
With these bottlenecks addressed, construction advanced steadily across the corridor, culminating in successful commissioning in August 2024. The total cost of the project was more than four thousand eight hundred fifty crore rupees. By modernising a vital national highway link through PRAGATI-enabled coordination and time-bound governance, the Chakeri – Allahabad 6-Laning project stands as a strong example of how strategic oversight can unlock complex infrastructure and deliver lasting socio-economic dividends.
