By Agniva Ray
INFRASTRUCTURE COMPANY PNC INFRATECH — an organization facing severe scrutiny for the construction lapses in the Kanpur-Lucknow Expressway, and an ongoing investigation of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for a bribery case — has secured two highway projects from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) worth around ₹ 3,483 crore. The PNC Infratech is also under serious heat following the reported construction lapses in the Kanpur-Lucknow Expressway within just thirteen days of its inauguration. Additionally, the company was also under CBI’s investigation in an alleged bribery case of ₹10 Lakh involving a highway-construction project.
However, that’s not where this tale ends. Following the recently identified lapses in the Kanpur-Lucknow Expressway, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) had issued a notice declaring PNC Infratech Ltd, as a ‘non-performer’. Thereby, ensuring that the company is ineligible for future NHAI projects. However, debarring all such official regulations, the PNC Infratech has still bagged an official NHAI project.
The Kanpur-Lucknow Expressway— also known as the Awadh Expressway is a 63-kilometre-long, six-lane wide access-controlled expressway connecting two major cities of Lucknow and Kanpur— has been one of the major flagship infrastructure projects in the country. It was a project of approximately ₹ 4200 crores, and seeked to reduce the travel time between the two major urban centres of Lucknow and Kanpur to just ninety minutes to forty minutes respectively.
However, within just thirteen days of its inauguration, the roadway showcased multiple failures and serious deficiencies. Videos went viral on various social media platforms reporting major cracks and damages in the Unnao’s Korari area on the expressway on July 26, 2026. This prompted the NHAI to issue immediate action against the contractor and other concerned officials. The NHAI issued a notice declaring the PNC Infratech Ltd, a ‘non-performer’, thereby making the company ineligible for future NHAI projects.
Things get even murkier, as the PNC Infratech was also flagged in an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). In 2024, a case was registered against PNC Infratech for an alleged bribery case of ₹ 10 Lakh in a highway-construction project. The CBI investigation reported that an NHAI General Manager-cum-Project Director and some individuals linked with PNC Infratech were involved in a bribing network to influence major decisions on project approvals, clearance and other administrative formalities. The CBI had also arrested the NHAI General Manager-cum-Project Director and booked the other accused in the bribery network.
The same company, PNC Infratech, had also been fined for illegal mining in 2024. The Collector’s Court in Chhatarpur, Madhya Pradesh found that the company had been illegally mining 24.5 million cubic metres of soil and gravel from Government land for the Jhasni-Khajuraho Four-lane Expressway construction project.
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Despite this decorated list of achievements, and dedicated government directives, the PNC Infratech has reportedly secured two highway projects from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) worth around ₹ 3,483 crore. The company signed an agreement with the NHAI on July 16, 2026 for these two construction projects, just three days after the inauguration of the Lucknow-Kanpur Expressway. The First project involves the construction of Barabanki-Mustafabad four-lane highway, with a bidding cost of ₹ 1728 crore. The second project involves the construction of a Mustafabad-Biswan four-lane highway on NH-927, which amounts to a bidding cost of ₹1755 crore respectively.
However, this raises some serious concerns in lieu of Public policy and administrative accountability. PNC Infratech is mired with alleged cases of bribery by the CBI. It had been charged by the Collector’s Court for Illegal mining in Madhya Pradesh. And recently, the NHAI has issued a notice, debarring PNC Infratech from future contracts due to the construction lapses in the Lucknow-Kanpur expressway. Given this background, concerns have been raised on the credibility and accountability to hand over projects to the PNC.
There is also another serious fact on the table. PNC Infratech is headed by Mr. Pradeep Jain and Mr. Chakresh Jain— brother of BJP Rajya Sabha MP and Former Mayor of Agra, Mr. Naveen Jain. Infact, the name of the Company, ‘PNC’, was based on the initials of the three brothers. In 2018, the members of the Indian National Congress had flagged a serious concern for awarding a bonus of ₹ 58 crore bonus to PNC Infratech Ltd for early completion of a stretch of Agra-Lucknow Expressway. Concerns have also been raised on the granting of major roadway construction projects in the state of Uttar Pradesh to PNC Infratech.
Amidst these developments, PNC Infratech has also cited its part of the story. On August 7, 2026, PNC clarified to the press that it has not been debarred or declared as a ‘non-performer’ by the NHAI. However, the Press Information Bureau Report, dated August 5, 2026 clearly states, “NHAI has issued a notice proposing the declaration of the concessionaire, M/s PNC Infratech Ltd., as a non-performer under which the concessionaire will be ineligible to participate in bidding for NHAI future projects.”
The agreement notice, however, for the two projects arrived on July 16, 2026, prior to the Lucknow-Kanpur expressway fiasco on July 26, 2026. And hence, prior to the NHAI notice for declaring PNC Infratech as a ‘non-performer’. But still the questions remain. Shouldn't past allegations, legal scrutiny, and NHAI notices influence the future allocation of projects? Or whether the close political linkages with the ruling political dispensation has helped PNC Infratech to tide over its legal crises.
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