Terming the newly-inaugurated Agra-lucknow Expressway a “growth highway,” Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Monday said it would be the pride of UP and the envy of other States as they were still coming to terms with the fact that a vast road can come up in such a short time.
“We built this road in record time and the credit for this goes to the team which worked round-the-clock to ensure its completion in just 22 months. We have achieved a near-impossible feat,” Akhilesh said while inaugurating the expressway at Bangarmau in Unnao, on the eve of Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav's birthday on Tuesday.
The 302 km-long six-lane Greenfield expressway was inaugurated amid a spectacular air show by eight Indian Air Force fighter jets that touched down for a few seconds on the expressway.
The entire Yadav clan, including Ram Gopal Yadav, Shivpal Singh Yadav and their families, was present on the occasion, presenting a picture of amity and unity.
later in lucknow, Akhilesh also launched a coffee-table book entitled “Making of History — The Agra-lucknow Expressway” produced by The Pioneer Group of newspapers on the sidelines of the function.
Presenting the book to Akhilesh, Editor-in Chief of The Pioneer Chandan Mitra said, “This country's longest greenfield corridor is becoming a swift road to development and prosperity. It will be a template of how roadways can transform India.”
Mulayam, Urban Development Minister Azam Khan and other Ministers in the Akhilesh Government and State president of the SP were also present during the launch of the book.
Earlier, in Unnao, talking about how the expressway would change the face of UP, Akhilesh said that not only had UP's image got a boost because of the longest access control highway, mandis will come up along the stretch where farmers will not only sell their produce at competitive prices but will also get farm equipment at their doorsteps.
Akhilesh said the expressway would also provide an industrial corridor where entrepreneurs would be encouraged to set up food processing units, cold storages, warehouses, dairy-based industries and small handloom units.
The Chief Minister congratulated the whole team for getting the project done without a murmur of protest from farmers. “The land was acquired through mutual understanding and four times the land cost was provided to farmers,” he said.
“When other States are struggling to get their land acquisition policy in place, we showed everyone how to acquire land without hassles,” he pointed out.
Akhilesh said, “The success mantra of any State is that if the road length is doubled, the economy will treble. This high-speed corridor between lucknow and Agra will accelerate growth.”
Yadav also declared that if the SP returned to power, the expressway would be extended up to Ballia. “We have done a lot for the people. Metro Rail is also coming to lucknow. I will inaugurate the first phase of the Metro on December 1. We have also distributed laptops and 55 lakh families have been given Samajwadi Pension. I will go to the people with my report card and appeal to them to vote the SP back to power,” Akhilesh said.
In his address, Mulayam alleged that there was a conspiracy to defame UP by terming it a backward State. “This Government has done unprecedented work in almost all sectors including health, education, social welfare, water and power. This is the only State where the poor get free education in schools and treatment in hospitals. Still, the Opposition has been spreading canards to defame us,” he said and asserted that UP was the fastest growing economy in North India.
The Agra-lucknow Expressway, built at a cost of Rs 13,200 crore, was the dream project of the Chief Minister and will be opened to the public in December this year.