Lucknow: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath attended a review meeting on national highway-related projects held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. During the meeting, he presented the demand for the expansion of national highways in the state to Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari.
He also assured that the process of expanding national highways in Uttar Pradesh will not be halted and that any obstacles in this process will be resolved on time. Additionally, land from any department required for the expansion of national highways will be provided free of charge.
The Chief Minister mentioned that in 2017, the state had a total of 48 national highways spanning 8,364 kilometers, while by 2024, their number increased to 93, and the length of the national highways also grew to 12,733 kilometers.
However, he also pointed out that in terms of population, this is still below the national average of 11.77 kilometers per lakh population. To bring it up to the national average, an additional 11,500 kilometers of national highways will need to be constructed.
Yogi noted that in the state, 500 kilometers of national highways are less than two lanes wide, and 1,500 kilometers of national highways are only two lanes wide. The minimum standard for a national highway should be two lanes plus paved shoulders.
Additionally, he emphasized the necessity of completing the projects related to the Mahakumbh to be held in 2025, including the Prayagraj Ring Road, by December 2024.
The Chief Minister, while specifically mentioning Varanasi, Mathura, and Ayodhya, stated that these are the main tourist attractions in the state, where the number of tourists and pilgrims is steadily increasing. He emphasized the need to complete the remaining work on the Varanasi Ring Road (Ganga Bridge) and to open the ring road for traffic as soon as possible.
CM Yogi highlighted the necessity of declaring the Braj 84 Kosi Parikrama route as a national highway. He also urged the strengthening of the Ayodhya Bypass. Additionally, he said that 10 new highways in the state be declared as national highways.
Yogi mentioned that the process of constructing ring roads in 13 out of the 18 divisions of the state is either ongoing or has been completed and that it is also necessary to build ring roads in the remaining five divisions—Aligarh, Devipatan, Jhansi, Mirzapur, and Saharanpur. He emphasized the importance of maintaining a high standard of upkeep for all national highways in the state.
The Chief Minister assured the central government that any disruptions in the implementation of national highways in the state would be resolved in a timely manner. The process of land acquisition and compensation distribution will be completed within the set timeframe. Additionally, the state government has decided that land from any department required for the expansion of national highways will be provided free of cost. Forest clearances will also be ensured on time.
He assured that land available with the Irrigation and Water Resources Department or other departments would be made available as non-forest land for forest clearance proposals. Furthermore, Yogi stated that the state government would not charge the shutdown fee imposed by UPPTCL on national highway projects.
