PM inaugurates Ganga Expressway, says it will be linked to Haridwar

PM Narendra Modi on Wednesday lauded the naming of the Ganga Expressway after the Ganga river and announced that the 594-km greenfield corridor connecting Prayagraj and Meerut would be extended to Haridwar in Uttarakhand.Addressing a gathering after inaugurating the eway, Modi said govt would also work on a link eway to Farrukhabad and connect it with other eways. Calling it a reflection of the vision of the "double-engine govt", Modi said the project symbolises the blending of "vikas" and "virasat". He stressed that rapid infrastructure development holds the key to accelerating India's growth. Hailing the speedy construction of the Ganga eway, Modi said the project was completed in less than 5 years after its foundation stone was laid by him in 2021.

New eway will be lifeline of UP's developmentTalking about the speedy construction of the Ganga eway after inaugurating it, PM Narendra Modi said on Wednesday, "This is the style and pace of work of the double-engine govt."

Describing the expressway stretch as akin to a "teertha", Modi said it would become a lifeline for UP's development, opening up new economic opportunities. He added that the corridor would not only facilitate faster travel but also serve as a gateway for industrial growth and employment generation.

"Gone are the days when construction of a single road took years. There was a time when projects would languish in files," he said.

In an apparent swipe at the opposition, Modi said that foundation plaques used to get installed at the time of polls but projects never materialised even as govts came and went.He criticised previous govts for ignoring the interests of farmers who faced difficulties of storage and transportation.

"Their problems will now be solved and they will get higher incomes," he said. Modi said new industrial corridors would be developed along the Ganga Expressway. "The previous govt did not even dream of industrial corridors in various places, including Hardoi," he said.The PM said that UP, which was earlier billed as a "BIMARU" state, was now striving to become a $1 trillion economy. "It is a huge target. And this requires equally big preparation," he said. "The economic development of UP is today becoming India's strategic strength as well," he said. "There was a time when UP was identified by its potholed roads. The same state is now home to the maximum number of expressways," he said.