Prayagraj's Phaphamau Six-Lane Bridge Over Ganga Nears Completion; To Ease Traffic

• Prayagraj is getting a new 9.9 km six-lane extradosed bridge over the Ganga, with a 3.84 km main bridge section, to alleviate severe traffic congestion.
• The new Phaphamau bridge aims to replace the existing two-lane Chandrashekhar Azad Setu, which currently handles over 40,000 vehicles daily, far exceeding its 15,000 PCU capacity.
• Connecting NH-96, NH-24B, and AH-1, the bridge will significantly improve connectivity between Prayagraj, Lucknow, Pratapgarh, and surrounding regions.
• Costing approximately Rs 1,948 crore, the project is being executed by NHAI under the EPC model and features India's second-longest extradosed bridge section.
• Initially slated for completion by February 2024, the deadline has been extended multiple times due to construction challenges, with the current target set for September 2026.

Why It Matters: Prayagraj's new six-lane Phaphamau bridge will drastically reduce traffic congestion and boost regional connectivity.