PM Modi to launch Ganga Expressway, other projects in Varanasi today
New Delhi, April 28
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday for a two-day trip to launch the Ganga Expressway, participate in a Mahila Sammelan, and lay the foundation stone for projects worth around Rs 6,350 crore in Varanasi.
A Mahila Sammelan will be organised on Tuesday evening in Varanasi, and during the event, PM Modi is expected to highlight women-centric schemes of the double-engine government.
During the visit, the Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone of over 112 projects worth around Rs 5,300 crore. These include 13 sewerage and water supply schemes under AMRUT 2.0, a 500-bed multi-super-speciality hospital at Shri Shiv Prasad Gupta Divisional District Hospital and the construction of market complexes and office spaces at Bhojuveer and Sigra, among others.
The Prime Minister will also flag off two new Amrit Bharat Express trains: Banaras-Pune (Hadapsar) and Ayodhya-Mumbai (Lokmanya Tilak Terminus).
On April 29, the Prime Minister will perform darshan and pooja at Shri Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi. Thereafter, he will travel to Hardoi to inaugurate the Ganga Expressway. He will also address the gathering on the occasion, according to an official statement.
The Ganga Expressway is a 594-kilometre-long, 6-lane (expandable to 8 lanes), access-controlled greenfield high-speed corridor, built at a total cost of around Rs 36,230 crore.
The expressway traverses 12 districts - Meerut, Bulandshahr, Hapur, Amroha, Sambhal, Badaun, Shahjahanpur, Hardoi, Unnao, Raebareli, Pratapgarh, and Prayagraj-thereby connecting Western, Central, and Eastern regions of Uttar Pradesh through a single seamless high-speed corridor.
The project is expected to significantly reduce travel time between Meerut and Prayagraj from the current 10-12 hours to approximately six hours, enhancing ease of movement and efficiency in transportation.
A key highlight of the project is the provision of a 3.5 km-long Emergency Landing Facility (airstrip) in Shahjahanpur district. This dual-use infrastructure enhances national security preparedness and adds strategic value beyond economic benefits.
The Ganga Expressway is envisioned as a major economic corridor, with the development of Integrated Manufacturing and Logistics Corridors over approximately 2,635 hectares across the 12 districts along its alignment. The expressway will reduce logistics costs, improve supply chain efficiency, and boost manufacturing competitiveness, said the statement.
Improved connectivity will provide farmers with direct access to urban and export markets, facilitating better price realisation and strengthening rural incomes, it said.
The project is also expected to boost tourism, unlock new economic opportunities and generate direct and indirect employment opportunities across the region.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Impressive numbers - Rs 36,230 crore for an expressway! But I wonder how many of these 112 projects in Varanasi will actually be completed on time. The 500-bed hospital is sorely needed though. Let's see the follow-through.
The emergency landing strip in Shahjahanpur is a smart move - dual-use infrastructure is what we need. PM Modi knows how to combine development with national security. Also, two new Amrit Bharat trains from Banaras and Ayodhya? That's going to make travel for millions so much easier. 🚄
Mahila Sammelan is good but I hope they talk about real issues like women's safety and equal pay, not just photo ops. The expressway will help farmers get better prices, but ground-level implementation is key. Let's see how many women actually benefit.
The Ganga Expressway will connect Meerut to Prayagraj - this is massive for UP's economy! I'm from Shahjahanpur and this will literally put our district on the map. Imagine the tourism boost for Kashi and Ayodhya too. Double-engine sarkar working! 🙏
Infrastructure like this is great, but Rs 36,230 crore is a lot of taxpayer money. I hope there's proper transparency and no cost overruns. The 10-12 hour to 6 hour reduction sounds impressive - hope the road quality matches the claims. 🤞
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