The infrastructure of a nation or State reflects the effect of extraordinary leadership. Previously known as Bimaru State, Uttar Pradesh (UP) currently accounts for the majority of the economy. This transformation has come due to commendable efforts of the Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, leading Uttar Pradesh’s BJP Government. India’s current growth rate includes a considerable percentage of UP. Infact UP is pumping all of the necessary boosts to leave the Bimaru State tag and eventually reach the national arena among the top developed States of the country. Due to the State’s world-class infrastructure and improved law and order situation in recent years, UP is currently gaining the majority of foreign and local investments. UP is establishing new norms in everything from national highways to expressways to airports. With its better infrastructure and low-cost labour, UP can deliver marvels to the State. This landlocked State will benefit greatly from the recent construction of high-speed motorways and airports network.
Consider the State’s road and aviation infrastructure. UP has an 800-kilometre-long highway network that has been built during the last 1.5 decades. With the construction of the Purvanchal highway recently, the State currently accounts for 28 per cent of the country’s expressway network. The expressways linking Bundelkhand and Gorakhpur will be added to this list soon, providing UP a vast 1200-kilometer-long expressway network. While previous governments built only two expressways in ten years (2007-2017), the Yamuna Expressway and the Lucknow-Agra Expressway, the Yogi Government completed the Purvanchal Expressway and is on track to complete the Bundelkhand and Gorakhpur link expressways within five years, by the middle of 2022.
Purvanchal Expressway was conceptualised by the Akhilesh Government in 2016, but bids were invited without land aquisition. Hence it never saw the light of day during Akhilesh’s term. After acquiring the land, the Yogi Government revoked previous bids and re-invited them. Furthermore, the Yogi administration fixed the Akhilesh Government’s defective Detailed Project Report (DPR) and saved taxpayers almost Rs 3000 crore via route optimisation. The Yogi Government completed the Express route in a record-breaking 40 months. Purvanchal Expressway is a specialised stretch of road used for fighter aircraft emergency landings. This highway will also function as a conduit for the development of industrial centres along its length. This Expressway links Eastern Uttar Pradesh to the State capital of Lucknow and NCR region through the Agra-Lucknow and Yamuna Expressways. This effort will considerably aid the economic prosperity of this part of UP.
The 296-kilometer-long Bundelkhand Express line will link Chitrakut and Etawah. It will provide as a connector between Agra and Lucknow. This four-lane motorway is being built at the cost of roughly Rs 14,000 crore and would also link Bundelkhand to the NCR. Bundelkhand has remained underdeveloped in terms of infrastructure and industry for the previous 6-7 decades. This freeway now links the UP defence industrial corridor.
In the previous several years, UP has built 15 airports, bringing the total number of operating airports to 20. The UP airport got particular attention from the Centre
Former Chief Minister Mayawati planned the Ganga Expressway. However, it was halted in court because of environmental concerns. The Yogi administration redesigned the project to keep it away from river banks while remaining near key cities and district headquarters. The first phase of this expressway will link Meerut to Prayagraj, spanning 594 kilometres; the second phase would connect Tigri to the Uttarakhand border in the North Prayagraj to Ballia in the East. When finished, this 594-kilometre-long highway will be the countries longest.
A 91-kilometre-long Gorakhpur link expressway is being constructed between Azamgarh and Gorakhpur. This route will link Gorakhpur and the surrounding Tarai area to the Purvanchal Expressway, connecting the region to Lucknow and the national capital through the expressway network.
Prime Minister Modi is the most vocal about and frequently emphasises the need of air connectivity. PM Modi is hell-bent on making air travel affordable to the common man via major programmes such as UDAN and NABH (Nextgen Airports of Bharat). While 74 airports were built in the 67 years before Modi Government in 2014, 62 new airports were built in the previous seven years. The nation now has roughly 136 functioning airports, with the Central Government aiming to grow that number to 220 by 2025. In the previous several years, UP has built 15 airports, bringing the total number of operating airports to 20. The UP airport building got particular attention from the Centre.
PM Narendra Modi dedicated Kushinagar International Airport on October 21, at the cost of Rs 260 crore. Although the Mayawati administration conceptualised the idea, it was unable to bring it to completion. With the first flight of monks from Sri Lanka, this is now part of the Buddhist Circuit. Gautam Buddha’s Maha Nirwan is located in Kushinagar. Its creation is expected to boost spiritual tourism in Asia’s Buddhist nations, including China, Japan, Korea, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand.
PM Modi recently laid the foundation stone for the Noida International Airport in Jewar. It would act as a catalyst for investment, industrial growth, and job creation. The airport is set to open in 2024 and will have a capacity of 1.2 million passengers per year. The airport is 42 kilometres from Delhi’s IGI airport, 40 kilometres from Dadri’s multimodal logistics centre, and 50 kilometres from the Defence corridor.
Apart from physical infrastructure, the UP Government prioritises social and cultural infrastructure. The public was permitted to tour an AIIMS facility in Gorakhpur that Prime Minister Modi laid the groundwork for in 2016. Over 30 lakh rural inhabitants have gained access to piped drinking water in the last two years, and virtually every hamlet now has electricity.
The State is equally dedicated to the development of cultural and spiritual infrastructure. Ayodhya has ascended to the top of the world’s spiritual tourist attractions, and with the completion of the Grand Bhagwan Ram’s Mandir, Ayodhya will become the next big thing in the coming years. The State is the birthplace of Bhagwan Ram and Krishna, as well as the last resting place of Bhagwan Buddha, making it an important stop on the Ramayan and Buddhist circuits. With the inauguration of Kashi Vishwanath Dham Corridor by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the State is expecting a big boost in tourism in Varanasi.
As a consequence, it has been proved that effective leadership can transform a Bimaru state plagued by mafias and loose law and order into one of India’s most vibrant and successful states. With a GDP of 17 lakh crores, Uttar Pradesh has overtaken Punjab to become the country’s second-biggest economy, moving up from the sixth position before.
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