Eastern Uttar Pradesh — the Purvanchal belt — was for decades defined by what it lacked: a high-speed road network connecting its major cities to Lucknow and Delhi. The Purvanchal Expressway changed part of that when it opened in November 2021, running 341 kilometres from Lucknow eastward to Ghazipur on the Uttar Pradesh-Bihar border. But Gorakhpur — the division headquarters city, the Buddhist circuit gateway, and CM Yogi Adityanath’s own constituency city — was not on the Purvanchal Expressway’s alignment. Getting from Gorakhpur to Lucknow still meant navigating NH-27 and the old highway network for six hours or more.
The Gorakhpur Link Expressway — also called the Gorakhpur Purvanchal Link Expressway — is the answer to that gap. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath inaugurated the 91.352-kilometre, four-lane expressway on June 20, 2025, making it Uttar Pradesh’s seventh operational expressway and the connector that finally integrates Gorakhpur into the state’s high-speed road network.
The expressway runs from Jaitpur village on the Gorakhpur Bypass (NH-27) in Gorakhpur district to Salarpur village in Azamgarh district, where it meets the Purvanchal Expressway directly. The total approved project cost is ₹5,876.67 crore including land cost, with approximately 1,095 hectares of land acquired. Construction was split into two EPC packages: Package 1 from Jaitpur to Fulwariya (Ambedkar Nagar) by APCO Infratech, and Package 2 from Fulwariya to Salarpur (Azamgarh) by Dilip Buildcon Limited. The expressway includes 2 toll plazas, 3 ramp plazas, 7 flyovers, 7 major bridges, 27 minor bridges, 16 vehicular underpasses, 50 light vehicular underpasses, and 35 pedestrian underpasses.
The toll rate is ₹2.20 per kilometre — ₹200 for the full 91-kilometre journey for a car. Gorakhpur-to-Lucknow travel time is cut from six hours to 3.5 hours via the Purvanchal Expressway connection. The expressway covers four districts: Gorakhpur, Sant Kabir Nagar, Ambedkar Nagar, and Azamgarh.
Gorakhpur Purvanchal Link Expressway Overview
| Detail | Information |
| Name | Gorakhpur Link Expressway / Gorakhpur Purvanchal Link Expressway |
| Maintained By | UPEIDA (Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority) |
| Length | 91.352 km |
| Lanes | 4-lane (expandable to 6) |
| From | Jaitpur village, Gorakhpur District (Gorakhpur Bypass, NH-27) |
| To | Salarpur village, Azamgarh District (Purvanchal Expressway junction) |
| Inaugurated | June 20, 2025 (CM Yogi Adityanath) |
| Project Cost | ₹5,876.67 crore (including land cost) |
| UP Expressway Rank | UP’s 7th operational expressway |
| Districts Covered | Gorakhpur, Sant Kabir Nagar, Ambedkar Nagar, Azamgarh |
| Gorakhpur–Lucknow Travel | 3.5 hours (reduced from 6 hours) via Purvanchal Expressway |
| Car Toll Rate | ₹2.20/km — ₹200 full journey |
| Toll Plazas | 2 toll plazas; 3 ramp plazas |
| Infrastructure | 7 flyovers, 7 major bridges, 27 minor bridges, 16 VUPs, 50 LVUPs, 35 pedestrian underpasses |
| Speed Limit | Up to 100 km/h |
| Construction Model | EPC — Package 1: APCO Infratech; Package 2: Dilip Buildcon Ltd |
| Connects To | Purvanchal Expressway at Azamgarh → Agra-Lucknow Expressway → Delhi |
Route and Location
The expressway begins on the Gorakhpur Bypass at Jaitpur — a village on NH-27 in the city’s southern periphery — and runs southwestward through Sant Kabir Nagar and Ambedkar Nagar before reaching Salarpur in Azamgarh district, where it intersects the Purvanchal Expressway. The four districts it passes through are primarily agricultural — sugarcane, wheat, and paddy cultivation — and historically underserved by high-speed road infrastructure.
Connectivity
At Salarpur, the expressway joins the Purvanchal Expressway’s 341-kilometre east-west corridor. From there, through the Agra-Lucknow Expressway and the Yamuna Expressway, a seamless high-speed chain connects Gorakhpur all the way to Delhi — the full chain covering approximately 700 kilometres with minimal congestion points.
Nearby Areas
Kushinagar — one of Buddhism’s holiest sites, where the Buddha attained Mahaparinirvana — is accessible from Gorakhpur approximately 53 kilometres to the east, and the expressway strengthens connectivity for international Buddhist circuit tourism. Gorakhpur city itself, with the Gorakhnath Temple (CM Yogi’s spiritual home base), the AIIMS Gorakhpur, and the regional railway junction, is now far better connected to Lucknow and Delhi.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. What is the Gorakhpur Purvanchal Link Expressway?
A: A 91.352 km, four-lane expressway inaugurated June 20, 2025 by CM Yogi Adityanath, connecting Gorakhpur (Jaitpur) to the Purvanchal Expressway at Azamgarh. UP’s 7th operational expressway.
Q2. How much has the Gorakhpur-Lucknow journey time reduced?
A: From 6 hours to 3.5 hours — via the Purvanchal Expressway connection at Azamgarh.
Q3. What is the toll rate on the Gorakhpur Link Expressway?
A: ₹2.20 per km — approximately ₹200 for a full 91 km journey for a car.
Q4. Which districts does the Gorakhpur Link Expressway pass through?
A: Gorakhpur, Sant Kabir Nagar, Ambedkar Nagar, and Azamgarh.
Q5. How does the Gorakhpur Link Expressway connect to Delhi?
A: It connects to the Purvanchal Expressway at Azamgarh, which then links to the Agra-Lucknow Expressway at Lucknow and onward via the Yamuna Expressway to Delhi NCR.