Another hurdle was crossed in the construction of the proposed 594-km Ganga Expressway as the member secretary of State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority issued environmental clearance to the project.
Under the notification of the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India, 2006, it is necessary to obtain environmental clearance before the construction of the projects covered in the schedule. Under this notification, environmental clearance has been taken by UPEIDA for the construction of Ganga Expressway.
Officials confirmed the approval received from the State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority. The work of land acquisition for this expressway is in progress and so far about 94 per cent of the land has been purchased/acquired.
Prime minister Narendra Modi is likely to lay the foundation stone of the Ganga Expressway next month. The estimated cost of this expressway project is Rs 36,230 crore. Tenders have been invited on Design, Build, Finance, Operate, and Transfer (DBFOT) mode on (Toll) mode.
This expressway will be 594-km-long, starting from near Bijauli village of Meerut on Meerut-Bulandshahr road (NH-334) and ending near Judapur Dandu village of Prayagraj district on Prayagraj Bypass (NH-19).
This expressway will pass through 12 districts — Meerut, Hapur, Bulandshahr, Amroha, Sambhal, Badaun, Shahjahanpur, Hardoi, Unnao, Rae Bareli, Pratapgarh, and Prayagraj. It will be a 6-lane expressway which can be expanded to 8-lane.
Officials say that about 140 rivers/streams/canals/nullahs are covered under this expressway project. In addition, seven ROBs, 17 interchanges, 14 major bridges, 126 minor bridges, 28 flyovers, 50 VUPs, 171 LVUPs, 160 SVUPs, and 946 culverts are proposed to be constructed.
It is estimated that around 12,000 people will be employed temporarily during the construction of this expressway while around 100 will be employed on a permanent basis after the construction of the toll plaza.