Once considered as a BIMARU (sick) state, Uttar Pradesh is on a fast lane to development. In the 80s BIMARU was popularly used to abbreviate Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh for the lack of basis infrastructure. Today the state has gained the name as ‘Expressway State.’
In January, Union minister for road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari announced building seven greenfield expressways in Uttar Pradesh while inaugurating and laying foundation stones of 364-km-long seven national highways and other projects worth Rs 14,199 crore of Kanpur city virtually from Lucknow.
This apart, already 4 expressways — 296-km Bundelkhand, 341-km Purvanchal, 91-km Gorakhpur Link and 594-km Ganga Expressway – are under construction. These interlinked expressways are bringing big cities closer to the backward regions boosting an opportunity of socio-economic development. Once completed, the state will have a network of 1,788 km of expressways, the highest in the country.
The silent transformation in UP’s road infrastructure started with the Yamuna expressway in 2012 and the Agra-Lucknow Expressway in 2018. Being developed by the Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA), the expressway is also providing employment opportunity to thousands.
HERE’S A LOOK AT ALL THE 4 EXPRESSWAYS THAT IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION IN UP:
PURVANCHAL EXPRESSWAY
The 341-km-long Purvanchal Expressway has been an important showpiece project for the Uttar Pradesh government before the assembly elections, and was inaugurated by the Prime Minister in November 2021.
The project from Lucknow to Ghazipur, connecting Awadh to Purvanchal, was completed by the contractors 150 days early from the scheduled completion date. It was completed ahead of time, despite the Covid pandemic when the availability of labor was an issue. UP government claims to have saved Rs 1,268 crore on the project.
Once operational, the agriculture, commerce, tourism, and other industrial development in the region will get a fillip.
KEY FEATURES
STARTING POINT: Village Chand Sarai, located at Lucknow-Sultanpur Road (NH-731), Lucknow district.
ENDING POINT: Near village Haidaria on National Highway No.-19, before 18 KM of UP-Bihar border, in Ghazipur district.
TOTAL LENGTH: of a fully access-controlled 6 lane expressway is 340.824 KM.
PROJECT COST: Rs. 22,494.66 crore (Including the cost of land). UP government claims to have saved Rs 1,268 crore on the project.
OTHER DISTRICTS FALLING ON THE EXPRESSWAY: Lucknow, Barabanki, Amethi, Sultanpur, Ayodhya, Ambedkar Nagar, Azamgarh, Mau and Ghazipur.
PROPOSED STRUCTURES ON THE EXPRESSWAY: It will have 22 flyovers, seven railway-over-bridges, seven major bridges, 114 minor bridges, six toll plazas, 45 vehicular-underpasses, 87 pedestrian underpasses and 525 box culverts.
It will also have CNG stations, electric recharge stations for vehicles and will be connected with the defense corridor through the Agra and Bundelkhand expressways.
BUNDELKHAND EXPRESSWAY
The 296-km-long Bundelkhand Expressway from Chitrakoot to Etawah in Uttar Pradesh is slated to be completed over six months of schedule. According to reports, 93% of work have been completed.
It will link the Bundelkhand region, considered to be one of the most backward areas of the country, to national capital Delhi through the Agra-Lucknow Expressway and the Yamuna Expressway.
Starting from Jhansi, the Bundelkhand expressway will pass through the UP districts, including Chitrakoot, Banda, Hamirpur, Auraiya and Jalaun, Etawah. From there, it will reach Naseempur via Bateshwar in Agra, and thereafter join with the Agra-Lucknow Expressway.
KEY FEATURES *
STARTING POINT: Near Bharatkoop at Jhansi-Prayagraj National Highway Number-35 in district Chitrakoot.
ENDING POINT: Near village Kudrail in district Etawah on Agra-Lucknow expressway.
LENGTH: Total 296.070 KM.
DISTRICTS BENEFITED: Chitrakoot, Banda, Mahoba, Hamirpur, Jalaun, Auraiya, and Etawah.
PROGRESS OF CONSTRUCTION: 92.20% till 18.04.2022
MAIN RIVERS FALLING ON ALIGNMENT: Bagen, Ken, Shyama, Chandawal, Birma, Yamuna, Betwa, and Sengar.
PROPOSED STRUCTURES ON THE EXPRESSWAY: 4 Railway Over Bridges, 14 Large bridges, 6 Toll Plazas, 7 Ramp Plaza, 266 small bridges, and 18 Fly Overs will also be constructed on the expressway.
GORAKHPUR LINK EXPRESSWAY PROJECT
The 91-km Gorakhpur Link Expressway will link four districts of eastern UP — Gorakhpur, Azamgarh, Ambedkarnagar, Sant Kabirnagar to the Purvanchal Expressway. According to the UP Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA) website, till January 10, 2022, at least 96.19% land out of the total required land for the project has been acquired.
KEY FEATURES*
STARTING POINT: Jaitpur, Gorakhpur district, NH-27
ENDING POINT: Salarpur (Azamgarh district) at Purvanchal expressway.
DISTRICTS FALLING ON EXPRESSWAY: Gorakhpur, Azamgarh, Ambedkarnagar and Sant Kabir Nagar
PROGRESS: 96.19% land out of the total required land for the project has been acquired till January 10, 2022.
Environmental approval and NOC from the Department of Forest are in process.
TOTAL LENGTH: 91.35 km
CARRIAGEWAY: 4 lanes (expandable upto 6 lanes) but all will be constructed as per 6 lanes.
DISTRICTS COVERED: Gorakhpur, Sant Kabir Nagar, Ambedkar Nagar, Azamgarh
LINK ROAD: The expressway is to be linked with Varanasi through a separate link road.
GANGA EXPRESSWAY PROJECT
The biggest expressway project in UP, the 594-km Ganga Expressway from Meerut to Prayagraj, will have 6 lane, expandable to 8 lanes. It has seen 94% land acquisition and is expected to be completed by 2025.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of Ganga Expressway in Uttar Pradesh’s Shahjahanpur on December 18, 2021.
Starting from Bijauli village of Meerut to Prayagraj, the expressway will connect 12 districts of UP along — Meerut, Hapur, Bulandshahr, Amroha, Sambhal, Badaun, Shahjahanpur, Hardoi, Unnao, Rae Bareli, Pratapgarh and Prayagraj.
A 3.5-kilometre long air-strip for assisting emergency take-off and landing of Air Force planes will also be constructed on the expressway in Shahjahanpur. An industrial corridor is also proposed to be built along it.
KEY FEATURES*
ENDING POINT: At Prayagraj bye pass of (National Highway 2) in Prayagraj district.
LENGTH: 594 KM
DISTRICTS BENEFITED FROM THE PROJECT: Meerut, Hapur, Bulandshahar, Amroha, Sambhal, Badaun, Shahjahanpur, Hardoi, Unnao, Rai Bareli, Pratapgarh, and Prayagraj.
WIDTH OF EXPRESSWAY: This expressway will be of 06 lanes (expandable up to 08 lanes) and all the structures will be constructed of 08 lane width.