A week after ambitious Agra-lucknow Expressway was inaugurated by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav with much fanfare, officials were asked to throw open the highway for public use on December 23 at any cost.
Directives were issued by Chief Minister during his meeting with officials of UPEIDA (Uttar Pradesh Expressway Industrial Development Authority). “The Expressway should be thrown open to public on December 23. Make arrangements so that commutations could be made possible by the designated date,” Yadav told officials.
Chief Minister was under pressure to throw this 302-km long Expressway for public after BSP national president Mayawati had chided Chief Minister saying that he has inaugurated this incomplete Highway which is not fit for commutation. The day Expressway was inaugurated that very day Mayawati claimed that this expressway was inaugurated in a jiffy by Chief Minister to get his name inscribed in the foundation stone.
Yadav reacted by saying that quality of the expressway was so good that Mirage and Sukhoi landed at the airstrip one after the other. To beat the criticism Chief Minister held a meeting of the UPEIDA officials on Monday despite the CEO Navneet Sehgal is recuperating in a private hospital in Gurugram after he met with an accident days before the Expressway was inaugurated. The meeting continued for over 40 minutes in which Chief Minister praised engineers, contractors and officials for their tireless work. Then he threw the question at officials asking then when this Expressway could be inaugurated. One of the officials suggested January 15 could be the D-day. CM shot back jocularly saying: “Bua ko gift dena hai kya” (Do you want to give gift to Mayawat). Mayawati’s birthday is on January 15. The officials discussed the bottlenecks in the project like completion of Rail Over Bridge at Kannauj and construction of barricades across the Expressway. “Complete the construction within a month’s time. Work at a war footing and throw the Expressway open to public on December 23,” Chief Minister said.
Some officials even suggested that at many intersections motorcyclists enter expressway. Their entry need to be stopped. CM said: “Unko bhi Expressway ka mazza lene do” (let them enjoy ride in Expressway).” CM seems to be in a hurry to throw open Expressway to public by end of next month because there is apprehension that Election Commission might issue notification by that time. Notification of 2012 assembly elections was issued on December 24, 2011.