Phaphamau bridge likely to be ready by June, to have 14-lane toll plaza

Prayagraj: Construction of the six-lane bridge over the Ganga at Phaphamau is expected to be completed by June this year with work on a state-of-the-art toll plaza now underway on the Malak Harhar side.Authorities have also initiated the development of an advanced command centre, expected to be completed within four months, to monitor the 9.9-km-long stretch between Malak Harhar and Stanley Road. In a first for Uttar Pradesh, the bridge will feature a 14-lane toll plaza, with seven lanes each for incoming and outgoing traffic. The plaza will extend over a length of 700m. Adjacent to it, a three-storey command centre is being constructed to house modern monitoring systems. The bridge will be embellished with an automatic traffic management system designed to ensure swift response in case of accidents. Officials said cranes will be deployed within minutes to clear obstructions and restore traffic flow. A video incident detection system will also be installed, with CCTV cameras positioned at five strategic points along the bridge. Additionally, LED gantries will be set up at both ends of the bridge to relay real-time messages from the command centre. A meteorological system will monitor fog visibility and wind speed, providing timely alerts to commuters. The command centre will also maintain round-the-clock availability of crane and medical assistance. Project director of the ministry of road transport and highways, Mohamad Nusratullah Khan, said the remaining work on extra-dosed piers is expected to be completed by May end, after which full-scale monitoring operations will be activated. "Presently, the work for the last pier is nearing completion," he said. The bridge, which starts from Beli hospital and connects Lucknow, Pratapgrah, Sultanpur and Ayodhya with Prayagraj, will help divert heavy vehicles away from city roads, reduce congestion towards Phaphamau and cut travel time significantly for intercity commuters. The use of extra-dosed technology also ensures higher load-bearing capacity and long-term durability, making it a critical infrastructure upgrade for the region.