NHAI issued a letter on September 11 that bars PNC Infratech and its subsidiary Awadh Expressway Private Limited from bidding on any new projects for the next 36 months.
The decision follows a massive collapse of a 12‑kilometre section of the Lucknow‑Kanpur Greenfield National Elevated Expressway, which fell 12 days after its July 13 ribbon‑cutting ceremony attended by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Union Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari.
The expressway, a ₹4,200‑crore project, was built by the consortium of PNC Infratech and the state government; the collapse revealed extensive subsidence and pothole formations at 74 sites within 26 days of opening, raising doubts about quality control and supervision.
Toll revenue from the 98‑kilometre stretch has been halted, and the burden of compensation for the loss falls on PNC Infratech, which has said it will seek judicial review of the ban.
The Allahabad High Court, in a hearing yesterday, asked state and central agencies to explain the rapid deterioration; the company’s legal team plans to file an appeal before the Supreme Court.