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On Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Ganga Expressway, which stretches 594 kilometers, in Mallawan, Hardoi. According to an official statement, this expressway, built at a cost of approximately ₹36,230 crores, will significantly reduce travel time between Meerut and Prayagraj from the current 10-12 hours to about six hours.

The expressway connects 12 major districts, including Meerut, Hapur, Bulandshahr, Amroha, Sambhal, Badaun, Shahjahanpur, Hardoi, Unnao, Raebareli, Pratapgarh, and Prayagraj.

Upon his arrival in Hardoi, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath welcomed Prime Minister Modi and presented him with a commemorative token. In a post on social media, Adityanath remarked that the inauguration of the expressway would accelerate the state's development journey. He referred to the six-lane expressway as a 'lifeline' connecting villages, farmers, entrepreneurs, and youth, emphasizing its crucial role in fostering development and bridging distances.

Central Minister and President of the Uttar Pradesh unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Pankaj Chaudhary, also highlighted this project as one of the longest expressways in the country, providing the state with modern infrastructure.

The official statement indicated that after reviewing the exhibition by the Uttar Pradesh Expressway Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA), the Prime Minister is scheduled to return in the afternoon after planting trees and addressing a public gathering. The expressway, developed under a public-private partnership (PPP) model, is designed as a six-lane road that can be expanded to eight lanes.

A notable feature of the expressway is a 3.2-kilometer-long airstrip near Shahjahanpur, which can accommodate Air Force aircraft in emergencies. The entire route will be equipped with an advanced Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS), CCTV surveillance, emergency call boxes, and ambulance services.

Additionally, integrated manufacturing and logistics clusters (IMLC) are being developed along the expressway, which will include large warehouses, cold storage, and food processing centers to attract investment and create jobs. This expressway will also link with other major corridors, including Purvanchal, Agra-Lucknow, Bundelkhand, and Gorakhpur link expressways, establishing a vast interconnectivity network.

Officials noted that this project is expected to generate significant employment opportunities and play a vital role in achieving Uttar Pradesh's goal of becoming a $1 trillion economy.