Modi Launches Mega Ganga Expressway Project with Modern Facilities Across 12 Districts

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday inaugurated the Ganga Expressway, the longest expressway in Uttar Pradesh, from Hardoi. Following the उद्घाटन, the Prime Minister is currently addressing a public gathering. Before the launch, he planted a sapling along the expressway and also took a walk on the stretch along with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The 594-kilometre-long expressway connects Meerut to Prayagraj, significantly reducing travel time between the two cities to about six hours, compared to the earlier 11–12 hours. Passing through 12 districts, the expressway is equipped with multiple modern facilities. Public utility centres have been developed along the route, offering accommodation, trauma care services, and food courts. The road also features rumble strips designed to alert drivers through vibrations, thereby reducing the risk of accidents. A key highlight of the project is a 3.5-kilometre-long airstrip near Jalalabad in Shahjahanpur, built to facilitate the landing of Indian Air Force fighter jets. Notably, this is the country’s first airstrip designed for night landings. Fuel stations have been set up at intervals of every 75 kilometres, operated by Bharat Petroleum. Prior to this, the 340-kilometre-long Purvanchal Expressway was the longest in the state. The Ganga Expressway is now the sixth expressway in Uttar Pradesh. The project has been completed in five years at an estimated cost of ₹37,350 crore. This translates to an approximate cost of ₹628.7 lakh per kilometre. The foundation stone for the expressway was laid by Prime Minister Modi in Shahjahanpur on December 18, 2021.