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UP Cabinet nod to four link expressways, robotics park
The four link expressways, with a combined length of nearly 320 km, include the 90.2-km Farrukhabad link expressway (packages I and II), a 50.94-km link expressway connecting the Agra-Lucknow Expressway with the Purvanchal Expressway, the 106.3-km Jhansi link expressway and the approximately 74-km Jewar link expressway.
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The Uttar Pradesh Cabinet on Tuesday approved the selection of developers for four new link expressways and cleared proposals to set up the Platform for Robotics and AI Growth Through Technology and Innovation (Pragati) Robotics Park and the Uttar Pradesh Cyber Security Operations Centre (UP-CSOC) through C3iHub at IIT Kanpur.
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath presided over the meeting, which cleared 22 proposals. The four link expressways, with a combined length of nearly 320 km, include the 90.2-km Farrukhabad link expressway (packages I and II), a 50.94-km link expressway connecting the Agra-Lucknow Expressway with the Purvanchal Expressway, the 106.3-km Jhansi link expressway and the approximately 74-km Jewar link expressway.
Briefing mediapersons, state finance minister Suresh Khanna said the four link expressways would be constructed under the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) model within three years at an estimated cost of ₹17,542.06 crore. The developers would also be responsible for maintaining the expressways for five years, he said.
Khanna said that the construction of the link expressway would improve connectivity between western, central and eastern Uttar Pradesh and Lucknow as well as the national capital.
The Cabinet also approved a proposal to set up the Pragati Robotics Park on 69.52 acres in Greater Noida. The park will provide a one-stop platform offering facilities to robotics companies, technology startups, research institutes and industry.
Zone 1 will be developed by a special purpose vehicle (SPV) to be constituted under a public-private partnership (PPP) model. The SPV will have a 26:74 partnership ratio between Greater Noida and the industrial partner. Around 61.52-acre land has been reserved for Zone 2 for investment by private entrepreneurs.
Greater Noida will contribute ₹21.1 crore, while the state government will provide an interest-free loan of ₹126.2 crore for 30 years. Greater Noida will also provide around eight acres for Zone 1 through the IT and electronics department at a rate of ₹1 per acre.
The robotics park is expected to reduce dependence on imports and generate a gross value addition (GVA) of ₹2,000 crore to the state’s economy.
The Cabinet also cleared the proposal to establish the UP-CSOC to strengthen cybersecurity across the state’s digital IT infrastructure, state data centre, government applications and other digital assets.
The centre will ensure round-the-clock, centralised cybersecurity monitoring of digital infrastructure and applications.
Principal secretary (IT and electronics) Alok Kumar-III said the UP-CSOC would be based at the state data centre in Lucknow.
C3iHub at IIT-Kanpur will serve as the implementing agency and handle operations, monitoring, incident response, maintenance and technical support for three years. The project has an estimated cost of ₹104.28 crore.
The state Cabinet also approved the Uttar Pradesh Inland Vessels Rules, 2026, to ensure safe water transport through mechanically and non-mechanically propelled vessels.
Minister of state (independent charge) for transport Daya Shankar Singh said the state government had already constituted inland water authority under his chairmanship and the rules provide for registration of all the transport vessels and insurance of both operators and passengers. The registration of non-mechanically propelled vessels would be only ₹50, he said.
