Travelling between Meerut and Haridwar could soon become significantly faster. The Uttarakhand Cabinet has cleared the way for extending the Ganga Expressway from Meerut to Haridwar, with the state approving a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Uttar Pradesh for the proposed extension.The project is expected to strengthen road connectivity between Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand and could reduce the Meerut-Haridwar travel time to around 90 minutes, compared with the current journey of roughly three hours.Read more - Rs 50 lakh jewellery vanishes from SBI locker: Woman alleges bank negligence after being told she no longer had a locker following bank mergerGanga Expressway extension to Haridwar approvedThe Uttarakhand Cabinet's decision marks an important step towards extending the Ganga Expressway into the state. The proposed corridor will connect Meerut with Haridwar, creating a faster road link between western Uttar Pradesh and one of Uttarakhand's most important pilgrimage and tourism destinations.The extension is also expected to improve connectivity for people travelling between the two states for business, tourism and religious purposes.Which cities will the Ganga Expressway connect?The wider Ganga Expressway network will connect several important cities across Uttar Pradesh, with the proposed extension taking the corridor towards Haridwar.The cities and districts associated with the project include:HaridwarBijnorAmrohaMeerutHapurBulandshahrBadaunShahjahanpurHardoiUnnaoRaebareliPratapgarhPrayagrajThe network is planned to improve connectivity across several parts of Uttar Pradesh while providing a direct link towards Uttarakhand.Ganga Expressway first phase connects Prayagraj and MeerutThe first phase of the Ganga Expressway has already been completed, according to the information provided by the authorities. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Prayagraj-Meerut section on April 29, 2026.The corridor provides a major east-west road connection across Uttar Pradesh, linking Meerut in western Uttar Pradesh with Prayagraj in the east.The proposed Haridwar extension will build on this connectivity by taking the expressway network beyond Meerut into Uttarakhand.Ganga Expressway to improve Uttar Pradesh-Uttarakhand connectivityThe Meerut-Haridwar extension is expected to provide a faster road connection between Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.For travellers from cities in western Uttar Pradesh, improved connectivity could make journeys to Haridwar quicker and more convenient. The project could also benefit movement of goods and strengthen links between commercial centres and tourism destinations in both states.The reduction in travel time could be particularly significant during weekends, holidays and major religious occasions, when Haridwar attracts large numbers of visitors.Ganga Expressway may boost Char Dham Yatra connectivityThe Haridwar extension could also have implications for Char Dham Yatra connectivity in Uttarakhand.Haridwar serves as an important gateway for pilgrims travelling further into the state. The proposed expressway extension is expected to connect with the road network leading towards the Char Dham Highway, potentially making onward journeys more convenient.Better connectivity could therefore support pilgrimage tourism as well as travel to other destinations in Uttarakhand.Once the different phases and links are completed, the overall Ganga Expressway network is expected to stretch for more than 1,049 km, creating one of India's significant high-speed road corridors.