With an aim to speed up transportation Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has written a letter to Union Surface Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari asking him to declare three state highways as national highways.
The three highways which needs upgradation are: Jhansi-Khajuraho, liplook-Bhind and Dohri Ghat-Azamgarh-Jaunpur-Allahabad state highways.
“Widening and strengthening of these state highways will help improving infrastructure in the state. The government would be able to provide better facilities to foreign and national tourists. This in turn will help the state earn more revenue,” Yadav wrote in his letter, the content of which was released to media here on Sunday.
He said that on September 8, 2014 he had written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to upgrade four highways. That list included the name of Varanasi-Babatpur highway. “Prime Minister had included that road in NHAI list and ignored three other highwayss which also need upgradation,” he said.
He said all these three highways are not properly connected with national highways. These roads also include a portion of state highway that is affecting the maintenance of the highways, he said.
“Khajuraho is an important tourist destination. But this is only connected with either road or air. The nearest railway station is Jhansi. So, the Khajuraho-Jhansi road is the only road link which takes passengers who come by train to that tourist spot. The total length of the road is 164 km and 62 km of this highway falls in UP,” Yadav said.
“A part of the highway is under NHAI and the rest comes under state highway. If the total road is declared as national highway it will speed up commutation,” he said.
He said similarly lipulake-Bhind highway starts from Tibet border and goes to Bhind in Madhya Pradesh connecting Tanakpur, Pilibhit, Shahajahanpur, Farukhabad, Mainpuri and Etawah. This road also partially comes under national highway and partially under state high.
“As this highway connects many states it would be prudent if the highway is declared as national highway,” he said and added that Union Government should also include Dohri Ghat- Allahabad highway as national highway.
He said that all these highways should be 4-lane and help in eradicating backwardness from the state.