Lucknow: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has set December 2024 as the deadline for the completion of the Ganga Expressway, an ambitious project aimed at connecting Meerut to Prayagraj. During a high-level meeting on Thursday, the Chief Minister reviewed progress on various infrastructure projects, including expressways, industrial corridors, and the defence corridor. Emphasising the importance of the Ganga Expressway, he noted its critical role in facilitating travel for devotees attending the 2025 Prayagraj Kumbh Mela.
Adityanath directed officials to draft a comprehensive action plan for four new link expressways. This plan will encompass connections between the Purvanchal Expressway and the Agra-Lucknow Expressway, as well as linking the Ganga Expressway with Farrukhabad and Jewar Airport via two additional link expressways. Additionally, the Chief Minister stressed the urgency of completing the Chitrakoot Link Expressway and ensuring the Ganga Expressway is operational by the December 2024 deadline.
Officials apprised the Chief Minister of the ongoing construction of the Gorakhpur Link Expressway, highlighting its potential to enhance connectivity for the districts of Gorakhpur, Sant Kabir Nagar, Azamgarh, and Ambedkar Nagar. They also outlined accelerated efforts to connect the Bundelkhand Expressway to Chitrakoot, with budget allocations already in place. This expansion aims to significantly improve connectivity within the Bundelkhand region.
To further bolster connectivity, new link expressways are planned. One will connect the Ganga Expressway to Jewar Airport, another will link the Agra-Lucknow Expressway with the Purvanchal Expressway, and a third will connect the Ganga Expressway to the Agra-Lucknow Expressway via Farrukhabad. Detailed project reports will be prepared following preliminary studies, and saplings will be planted along all expressways to enhance environmental sustainability.
The Uttar Pradesh Defence Corridor is seeing substantial investment from major defence manufacturing companies, with total investments exceeding ₹24,000 crore. Notable companies such as BrahMos Aerospace, Aeroalloy Technology, Bharat Dynamics Limited, Adani Defence Systems, Amitech Electronics, and Anchor Research Limited are heavily investing in the corridor. The Chief Minister underscored the necessity of immediate decisions on new proposals to maintain the momentum of development.
Adityanath also called for the accelerated development of the bio-plastic park, focusing on expediting land acquisitions for a manufacturing unit in Lakhimpur Kheri. He urged continuous review of investment proposals from the Global Investors Summit, stressing that land allotment and incentive distribution should be swift to prevent delays.
The bylaws of industrial development authorities are to be updated to become more investment-friendly. The Chief Minister also directed officials to expedite the land acquisition process for expanding land banks, ensuring no delays post-land notification.
In a bid to enhance Bundelkhand’s development, Adityanath directed accelerated land acquisition within the Bundelkhand Industrial Development Authority (BIDA). He also prioritised the development of the multimodal logistics hub in Dadri and the multimodal transport hub in Boraki, highlighting their importance in boosting regional connectivity and economic growth.
