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Yogi, Gadkari stress on completion of Mahakumbh roads by December 25
Both leaders directed officials to complete work on national highways, bypasses, inner ring roads, and bridges related to Mahakumbh by December 25 without fail.
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath and Union minister for road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari on Saturday reviewed the progress of critical road infrastructure projects in the state, particularly those aimed at facilitating the Maha Kumbh 2025 in Prayagraj.
Both leaders directed officials to complete work on national highways, bypasses, inner ring roads, and bridges related to Mahakumbh by December 25 without fail.
They also instructed officials to strict adherence with quality and safety standards, the Uttar Pradesh government said in a statement.
Roads leading to Prayagraj should have streetlights and CCTV cameras, they said. Additional streetlights should be installed at key spots, they added.
Toll plazas on highways leading to Prayagraj should have additional toilets and drinking water facilities, along with medical and traffic assistance, the leaders said. The chief minister asked officials to place ambulance and recovery vehicle every 2 km.
The review covered multiple projects, including the widening of the 63.17-km Raebareli-Prayagraj national highway, construction of four-lane bypasses at four locations, a 7.6-km segment of the Prayagraj Inner Ring Road and the development of a new six-lane bridge parallel to an existing one over the Ganga river at Phaphamau.
Gadkari highlighted the broader roadmap for road development in Uttar Pradesh, including discussions on proposals worth ₹1.39 lakh crore. This includes strengthening NH-530B in Bareilly, constructing a bypass at Pratapgarh, upgrading the Prayagraj-Dohri Ghat road to four lanes and completing the Barabanki-Jarwal-Bahraich road (NH-927).
According to the state government, projects in advanced stages include the Shamli-Gorakhpur and Aligarh-Moradabad-Bijnor corridors, with bids already secured. Connectivity initiatives, such as the Ayodhya (Utraula)-Prayagraj and Prayagraj-Varanasi-Ara-Patna corridors, are also under way.
Feasibility studies and detailed project reports (DPRs) for other significant routes like the Gorakhpur-Jamania-Saidraja and Gorakhpur-Kishanganj-Siliguri corridors are progressing, the government said.
Adityanath pressed for expedited land acquisition and approvals for upcoming projects, urging authorities to mitigate road-accident risks through coordinated efforts.
“Both leaders also explored proposals for bypass construction in 10 districts and the enhancement of existing highways like the Lucknow-Gorakhpur, Banda-Kanpur and Gorakhpur-Varanasi routes,” the statement said.
The chief minister said land acquisition for new state highways should be done on time so that the project does not get delayed. Also efforts be made to reduce road accidents, he said.
“For quick relief to accident victims, mapping of hospitals near highways be done,” he said.
The Union minister said proposal for ring roads in Aligarh, Devipatan, Jhansi, Mirzapur, Saharanpur should be prepared. UP has bypasses in 53 districts and eight are under construction.
Proposal for bypass in 10 districts, including Bulandshahr, Mainpuri, Bahraich, Baghpat, Bhadohi, Sambhal, Kaushambi, Chandauli and Shravasti, should be prepared, he added.
