look news india
The 3.5 km stretch of Agra-Lucknow Expressway between Bangarmau and Unnao airstrip is set to be closed for 10 days due to the Gagan Shakti exercise of the Indian Air Force. The objective of this exercise is to facilitate the landing of Jaguar, Sukhoi and Mirage-2000 fighter aircraft, ensure readiness and operational efficiency. During the closure period from April 2 to April 11, traffic on the Agra-Lucknow Expressway will be diverted to service roads to minimize disruption to commuters. The affected section will be barricaded on both sides to ensure a safe landing environment for the combat aircraft participating in the exercise.
Preparations for the exercise will begin from April 2 to April 5, with a focus on cleaning the airstrip area with water, removing dust using pressure machines and marking the airstrip. The exercise, to be held on April 6 and April 7, will showcase the might of fighter aircraft like Jaguar, Sukhoi, Mirage-2000 and Hercules, giving the local people a unique opportunity to see these aircraft in action.
This year's Gagan Shakti exercise is the third event of this event. Earlier, in 2016, six fighter aircraft had landed during the inauguration of the expressway, followed by an exercise in October 2017 with aircraft such as Mirage-2000, Sukhoi, Jaguar and Hercules. These exercises demonstrate the commitment of the Indian Air Force to enhance operational capabilities and readiness.
About Agra-Lucknow Expressway
The Agra–Lucknow Expressway is a 302 km long, 6-lane wide (expandable to 8-lane) access-controlled expressway. The expressway bridged the distance between the cities of Agra and Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh and is currently one of the longest operational expressways in India.
This expressway is connected to the Yamuna Expressway via the Agra Ring Road, and thus provides an express link from Greater Noida, NCR to Lucknow via Agra. It connects Agra and Lucknow via Shikohabad, Firozabad, Mainpuri, Etawah, Auraiya, Kanpur, Kannauj, Bangarmau and Lucknow. The expressway will start from village Etmadpur Madra near Agra and end at village Sarosa Bharosa near Mohan Road, Lucknow.
The Agra Expressway passes through major cities of western Uttar Pradesh including Firozabad, Mainpuri, Etawah, Auraiya, Kannauj, Kanpur Nagar, Hardoi and Unnao before reaching the Agra Lucknow Expressway exit point.
The Lucknow Agra Expressway passes through four national highways, two state highways and five rivers – Ganga, Yamuna, Isan, Sai and Kalyani.