Bundelkhand Expressway to change face of region: CM
Declaring that the Bundelkhand Expressway would change the face of this region, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that work on the expressway was going on, on a war footing and about 50 per cent of the work had been completed so far and once it was completed, this area would become a major tourist centre.
“This expressway is proof that the government’s policy and intentions are good. If there is a confluence of strong will and passion for work then development work can be taken forward at a very fast pace. The construction of the expressway will also make Bundelkhand a major centre of tourism,” the chief minister said after inspecting the construction work of the bridge over the Yamuna river on the Bundelkhand Expressway in Jalaun district.
He said that by the end of November, the entire construction work would be finished, providing immense potential for triggering economic activities in the region.
While addressing a review meeting, the chief minister said that the construction of Bundelkhand Expressway was progressing at a fast pace and all flyovers were being fast-tracked.
“The farmers of Bundelkhand gave their land for the expressway and extended their full support. The expressway will boost the profits of the farmers of Bundelkhand,” he said.
The chief minister said once the Bundelkhand Expressway was constructed, it would go a long way in ensuring socio-economic development of the area which was lying neglected for decades.
The total length of the expressway is 296 kilometres out of which construction of 120 km road has been completed by the UP Expressway Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA). The construction of bridges on the Yamuna, Betwa and Ken rivers falling in the Bundelkhand Expressway project is also going on at a rapid pace.
The chief minister said that the Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority would set a record by completing the construction of the bridge on the Yamuna river within six to eight months.
Officials informed the chief minister that so far 97 per cent work of clearing and grubbing in Bundelkhand Expressway had been completed and over 80 per cent of soil work had been done.
On the expressway, four rail over bridges, 14 long bridges, six toll plazas, seven ramp plazas, 268 small bridges, 18 flyovers, and 214 underpasses will be constructed.
The four-lane expressway, which will be expandable to six lanes, has been divided into six packages. The access-controlled expressway will have a right of way (total land area acquired for the construction of the roadway) of 110 metre. A service road (3.75 metre wide) will also be constructed on one side of the expressway.
The total estimated cost of the Bundelkhand Expressway project is Rs 14,849.09 including the cost of civil construction estimated at Rs 7,766.81 crore. It will connect the Bundelkhand region of the state with Delhi through the Agra-Lucknow Expressway and Yamuna Expressway and will play an important role in the development of the Bundelkhand region.
The expressway will start from Chitrakoot district and end in Etawah on Agra-Lucknow Expressway. It will pass through the districts of Chitrakoot, Banda, Mahoba, Hamirpur, Jalaun, and Etawah.
It is worth mentioning that the service road and other works are also under progress through various EPC contractors engaged in the construction of the Bundelkhand Expressway.
