Nitin Gadkari says Uttar Pradesh will have United States-like road infrastructure before 2024 ends

Union minister for road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari inaugurates, lays foundation stones of seven national highway projects in Ballia involving investment of ₹6500 crore

Union road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari on Monday said before the end of 2024, Uttar Pradesh will have road infrastructure like in the United States and the picture of the state will change with the development of roads.

Union minister Nitin Gadkari has said the condition of roads in Uttar Pradesh were bad before 2014. (AGENCY PHOTO)

Asserting that U.P. will become the leading state in the country, Nitin Gadkari called upon farmers to become providers of food as well as energy.

The Union minister was addressing a gathering after inaugurating and laying the foundation stones of seven national highway projects, including a greenfield highway, all worth ₹6,500 crore at Chitbadgaon in Ballia district of eastern Uttar Pradesh. The greenfield highway will be built at an estimated cost of ₹5320 crore.

“.... I will fulfill what I am promising. Now the picture of U.P. will change. Development always goes through the roads. At present, it takes four hours to reach Patna from Ballia. When this greenfield highway is built, you will reach Patna in an hour,” he said.

“The condition of roads in U.P. was not good before the year 2014. After the Narendra Modi government came to power, National Highways have increased from 7,643 km to 13,000 km in the state,” Gadkari said.

“Before the end of 2024, Uttar Pradesh will have road infrastructure like in America. The state is growing very fast and its picture will change with the development of roads, “ said Gadkari.

Villagers and the poor will be happy and prosperous in the state, he added.

“Farmers should become food as well as energy providers and should play a major role in the export of energy,” he said.

The minister said that with the construction of Ballia Link Expressway, it would be possible to reach Patna from Lucknow through Purvanchal Expressway in just four-and-a-half hours.

“Ballia to Buxar can be reached in half-an-hour, Ballia to Chhapra in an hour. With the construction of the greenfield highway, eastern UP will get better connectivity with Chhapra, Patna and Buxar in Bihar,” he said.

Vegetables grown by Ballia farmers will now reach the ‘mandis’ (markets) of Lucknow, Varanasi and Patna easily.

The new road from Chandauli to Mohania being constructed at a cost of ₹130 crore will provide connectivity to Chandauli in Uttar Pradesh and Kaimur district in Bihar through the Delhi-Kolkata GT Road.

He said with the construction of Saidpur to Mardah road, there will be direct connectivity from Mau to Varanasi via Saidpur.

The minister said due to better connectivity with other cities of the state, the economic and social condition of Uttar Pradesh will improve. The backward areas of Azamgarh district will get new connectivity, he said.

Gadkari also announced new connectivity between Ballia-Ara through a 28-km new spur road at a cost of ₹1,500 crore.

YOGI ADITYANATH THANKS NITIN GADKARI

Chief minster Yogi Adityanath extended thanks to Union minister Nitin Gadkari. Yogi tweeted, “With the guidance of respected Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modiji and your co-operation, ‘New Uttar Pradesh’ is moving on a continuous journey of development by being covered with national highways of world-class quality.”

Gadkari also visited Purvanchal University, Jaunpur, and attended a programme there.