Lucknow: National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is facing a fresh operational challenge on Lucknow–Kanpur Expressway as traffic volumes have nearly doubled since toll collection was suspended on Aug 5, even as new cracks and damage continue to surface at multiple locations on the 63-km corridor.Officials said the rising number of vehicles is complicating ongoing repair and maintenance work, with crews finding it increasingly difficult to access affected stretches and carry out sustained repairs. “Carrying out repair and maintenance work is turning out to be a major problem with increasing traffic flow,” an executive associated with the works said. The concessionaire responsible for civil works has also flagged concerns to the authority, pointing to constraints in managing repairs amid uninterrupted movement of vehicles.With the issue drawing attention, NHAI began regulating the entry of heavy vehicles from Thursday evening. Barricades were placed before toll gates to restrict trucks and multi-axle vehicles from entering the expressway, officials said, as part of efforts to reduce stress on the carriageway and allow repair teams more workable windows.Before toll exemption was announced, NHAI was charging Rs 290 for a single trip by a private four-wheeler. Since the suspension, the expressway has attracted a greater share of traffic, prompting concerns about road safety as defects appear at new spots.NHAI officials said preparations are underway to begin a technical audit of the carriageways under a team of experts led by IIT Kharagpur professor K S Reddy. “Once we know the correct strategy to carry out maintenance works, it would be better for all the stakeholders,” an executive involved with the repair works said, describing Reddy as an expert in road construction technology, pavement design and bituminous mix.Officials indicated that allowing heavier and higher traffic while attempting long-term restoration may be incompatible. Meanwhile, the daily average count of private vehicles using the old Lucknow–Kanpur national highway has dropped sharply over the past 48 hours.
