CM inspects expressway progress in Hardoi (Bilgram), Shahjahanpur (Jalalabad) and Hapur (Garh Mukteshwar)

On Sunday, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath inspected the under-construction Ganga Expressway and directed UPEIDA and the construction agencies to complete the project within the stipulated timeline, while maintaining the highest quality standards. Expressing satisfaction with the progress of construction work in Groups 1 and 2, the Chief Minister instructed officials to accelerate further the pace of work in Groups 3 and 4.

During his visit, the Chief Minister traveled by car on the expressway, reviewing the construction quality firsthand. He also took a keen interest in the German technology being introduced in the project and received a detailed briefing on its applications. Adding a personal touch to the inspection, he interacted with the workers on site and posed for photos with them.

The Chief Minister reviewed the construction progress across three districts. He first inspected the 347+000 chainage in Bilgram tehsil of Hardoi under Group-3, followed by a visit to the 242+650 chainage in Jalalabad, Shahjahanpur under Group-2 (Badaun-Hardoi section). Finally, he reached the 62+200 chainage in Garh Mukteshwar tehsil of Hapur, part of the Meerut-Badaun Group-1 section.

Earlier in the day, the Chief Minister arrived at the Mallawan and Madhoganj development blocks of Hardoi district to inspect the expressway. After landing at a helipad near Hasanpur Gopal, he walked a short distance on the expressway before travelling about 5 kilometres by car to assess its quality personally.

He was also briefed on advanced technology provided by Zurich University to enhance road quality and driving comfort, a development he warmly welcomed. He reiterated to UPEIDA officials the importance of completing the project on schedule without compromising quality.

Afterwards, the Chief Minister visited Jalalabad in Shahjahanpur to inspect the construction work of the Ganga Expressway. He reviewed the progress through an aerial survey, including a 3.5 km-long airstrip being developed as part of the project. An airshow is scheduled to be held on this airstrip on May 2 and 3. Notably, night landing has not yet been conducted on any expressway airstrip; however, for the first time, a night landing is planned on the Ganga Expressway in the presence of the Chief Minister.

Following this, the Chief Minister proceeded to Hapur to assess the ongoing construction work. There, he inspected the newly constructed bridge over the Ganga River, walked across it, and interacted with the laborers, posing for a photo session with them. He inquired about their well-being and commended their efforts, as well as those of the IRB staff, for completing the bridge within 18 months.

During the visit, the Project Director briefed him in detail on the overall progress of the Ganga Expressway. The Chief Minister praised the quality of the work and directed that the construction be completed within the stipulated timeline.

At all three locations, he also interacted with public representatives, updated them on the project’s status, and instructed them to monitor the progress regularly. Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Singh, UPEIDA officials, and district public representatives accompanied the Chief Minister during the inspection.

UPEIDA ACEO Shri Hari Pratap Shahi informed that the Ganga Expressway is being constructed in four sections. The Adani Group is developing three sections (Groups 2, 3, and 4), while IRB Infrastructure Developers are executing one section under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. Apart from Group-4, which is located between Rae Bareli and Prayagraj, the Chief Minister reviewed the progress of the other three sections during his visit.

The Ganga Expressway spans approximately 594 kilometers, connecting Meerut in the west to Prayagraj in the east, thus linking the two ends of Uttar Pradesh. Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the project in Shahjahanpur on December 18, 2021. The expressway will commence from Bijauli village on the Meerut-Bulandshahr road (NH-334) and culminate at Judapur Dandu village near the Prayagraj Bypass (NH-19).

This ambitious project is expected to significantly boost industrial and economic growth across the state by connecting small towns and rural areas to the mainstream economy. It will open new avenues for agriculture, trade, tourism, and investment.

The Ganga Expressway is also a crucial part of the Pradhan Mantri Gati Shakti Yojana and is poised to make a meaningful contribution to India’s vision of becoming a $5 trillion economy. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is closely monitoring the project to ensure high standards of quality and timely completion.

Features of Ganga Expressway
▪️Ganga Expressway is being constructed in 6 lanes, which can be expanded to 8 if needed.
▪️The width of its Right of Way (ROW) is 120 meters, while the design speed is 120 km. per hour.
▪️This expressway is divided into four groups, each with 3 packages.
▪️Under this, 9 public facilities complexes are also being constructed, where passenger facilities will be available.
▪️At the same time, 2 main toll plazas (Meerut and Prayagraj) and 19 ramp toll plazas (4 new ones included) are included.
▪️A long bridge of about 960 meters on the Ganga River and about 720 meters on the Ramganga River is also proposed.
▪️Additionally, a 3.5 km long airstrip is also proposed to be constructed near Shahjahanpur (Tehsil Jalalabad).
▪️A total of 12 cities will be connected by this expressway, which includes Meerut, Hapur, Bulandshahr, Amroha, Sambhal, Badaun, Shahjahanpur, Hardoi, Unnao, Rae Bareli, Pratapgarh and Prayagraj. The expressway is covering a total of 518 villages.
▪️The total cost of the expressway under construction on 7453.15 hectares of land is Rs 36,230 crore.