CCEA Approves ₹7,145 Crore Kanpur–Kabrai NH-34 Highway
Why in News?
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved the 117.7-km Kanpur–Kabrai section of NH-34 in Uttar Pradesh at a cost of ₹7,145.14 crore.
Key Points
The project will be implemented by NHAI as a 4-lane access-controlled greenfield highway, with provision for future 6-laning.
It forms part of the Bhopal–Kanpur Economic Corridor and will be developed under the BOT (Toll) model.
The highway is expected to reduce Kanpur–Kabrai travel time from about 3.5 hours to 1.5 hours and improve connectivity to the Kabrai mining belt.
The corridor links 16 economic nodes (e.g., Unnao, Pankhi, Sumerpur industrial areas), 9 social nodes (e.g., Mahoba tourist place, Kanpur Zoological Park), and 10 logistics nodes (e.g., railway stations, Chakeri and Khajuraho airports).
Exam Connect
CCEA → chaired by the Prime Minister → approves major economic policy decisions and public investments → part of NITI Aayog ? No, CCEA is a cabinet committee, not under NITI Aayog.
NH-34 →It is in Uttar Pradesh, part of the Bhopal–Kanpur Economic Corridor.
BOT (Toll) → a public-private partnership model where the concessionaire builds, operates, and transfers the project after a specified period, recovering costs through tolls.