Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was also present on the occasion and received the Prime Minister when he arrived at the Kanpur airport, along with other dignitaries. The 296 km four-lane Expressway has been constructed at a cost of around ₹14,850 crore and the expressway would give a major boost to connectivity and industrial development in the region, according to news agency ANI report.
While addressing a gathering after inaugurating the 296-km Bundelkhand Expressway here, Prime Minister cautioned people against what he called a "revari (sweet) culture" under which votes were sought by promising freebies and said this could be "very dangerous" for development of the country. Additionally, the Prime Minister hit out at previous dispensations in Uttar Pradesh for the lack of connectivity and said the "double-engine" government now was ensuring major transformation of the state with fast-improving connectivity.
He said the distance from Chitrakoot to Delhi by the Bundelkhand expressway has been reduced by three-four hours, but its benefit is much more than that. "This expressway will not only give speed to the vehicles, but will also accelerate the industrial progress of the entire Bundelkhand," he said. The prime minister cautioned people, especially the youth, against the "revari culture" and said it could be "very dangerous" for the country's development. It is important to note that 'Revari' is a popular sweet in north India.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also hailed the UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's leadership, stating that the state is witnessing a major transformation with better law and order and fast-improving connectivity, Modi said, and asked people to recall the state of law and order and connectivity in Uttar Pradesh earlier. He hailed the work being done by the "double engine" government in Uttar Pradesh.
Meanwhile, as per reports, the budgetary allocation of ₹1.99 lakh crore for the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways in Budget 2022-23 which is the highest ever and this is a jump of over 550% when compared to the allocation of about Rs. 30,300 crore in 2013-14. In the last seven years, the length of National Highways in the country has gone up by more than 50 per cent from 91,287 km (as on April 2014) to around 1,41,000 km (as on December 31, 2021).
The foundation stone for the construction of the Bundelkhand Expressway was laid by the Prime Minister on February 29, 2020. The work on the Expressway has been completed within 28 months. The 296 km, four-lane expressway has been constructed at a cost of around ₹14,850 crore, under the aegis of Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA), and can later be expanded up to six lanes as well.
(With inputs from ANI, PTI)
