Uttar Pradesh: A look at Bundelkhand Expressway Project

New Delhi: Total length of fully Access controlled 04 lane expressway is 296.07 km. Estimated civil cost of the project:- Rs 14849.09 crore (including land cost). Starting point:- Village-Gonda (District Chitrakoot), Jhasi-Allahabad (NH-35/76) near Bharatkoop. End Point:- Agra Lucknow Expressway, near village Kudrail of Takha tahsil of Etawah district. Districts on the Expressway:- Chitrakoot, Banda, Mahoba, Hamirpur, Jalaun, Auraiya and Etawah. 04-lane divided carriageway (expandable to 06 lanes) and 06-lane structures. The builders of six packages of Bundelkhand Expressway project have been selected through E-Tendering.

In this project, the minimum tender has come down by about 12.72 % from the estimated cost, which has given a profit of about Rs. 1132 crore to UPEIDA. Construction of expressway has been started by the builders of all packages. Despite the blockage caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the construction work of the expressway by all the packages is being attempted to get the pre-pandemic progress rate.

Currently, the work of Clearing and Grubbing 100%, Earthwork 96% and 775 structures against 882 structures have been completed. Under the Bundelkhand Expressway project, the construction work of a long bridge under construction on Yamuna river located in Jalaun district started in February, 2020. The total length of which is 840 mtr, its left side has been completed, along with the work of deck slab on both sides of the 840 mtr long bridge being built on Betwa river has also been completed. Both the bridges have been completed in a record 18 months. In record time so far, the work of bituminous level (DBM) has been completed in a total length of 225 km, that is, so much road has been completed completely. The total physical progress as on dt. 08.11.2021 of the project is more than 75%. The project is likely to be completed before the stipulated time frame.

Benefits from Expressways Projects

• The construction of expressway will pave the way for all-round development of the entire state.
• By controlling the entry of expressways, significant savings in fuel consumption and pollution control will also be possible.
• The project will boost the social and economic development of the covered areas as well as the income of agriculture, commerce, tourism and industries.
• It will be helpful as an industrial corridor to connect the various production units, development centres and agricultural production areas located in the areas covered by the expressway with the state capital and national capital.
• Opportunities will also be available for the establishment of Industrial Training Institute, Educational and Training Institute, Medical Institute near the expressway.
• Expressway will act as a catalyst for setting up of Handloom Industry, Food Processing Units, Storage Plant, Mandi and Milk based industries.

With the construction of expressway, the development of tourism in the project covered areas will be encouraged and all-round and all-round development of these Bundelkhand regions of the neglected state will be possible