Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday inaugurated the 594-km access-controlled greenfield Ganga Expressway in Hardoi, describing it as a transformative infrastructure project and a “new lifeline” for Uttar Pradesh’s development.
Addressing a public gathering after inaugurating the expressway, PM Modi said that just as Maa Ganga has been a lifeline for Uttar Pradesh and the country for thousands of years, the expressway passing near the river would become a new engine of growth in an era of modern progress.
Calling the Ganga Expressway the country’s longest greenfield expressway, the Prime Minister said the project was completed in less than five years and reflected the government’s accelerated push for modern infrastructure.
The expressway, stretching nearly 600 km and linking western, central and eastern Uttar Pradesh, will improve connectivity across 12 districts and create new opportunities in trade, agriculture, logistics and industry, he said.
“The Ganga Expressway is not merely a high-speed road. It is a gateway to new possibilities, new dreams and new opportunities,” PM Modi said, adding that improved logistics and market access would benefit farmers and raise incomes.
The Prime Minister said the corridor would not only connect one end of Uttar Pradesh to the other but also bring the opportunities of the National Capital Region closer, while enabling industrial development along the route.
Highlighting plans for industrial corridors in districts such as Hardoi, the Prime Minister said sectors including pharmaceuticals, textiles, handlooms, leather goods and handicrafts would gain from the improved connectivity, while MSMEs and local enterprises would get better access to domestic and global markets.
Prime Minister also linked the project to Uttar Pradesh’s larger economic ambitions, saying the state was progressing towards becoming a trillion-dollar economy through investments in manufacturing, semiconductors, defence production and emerging technologies.
Referring to infrastructure expansion in the state, he said Uttar Pradesh now has 21 operational airports, including five international airports, while the upcoming Noida International Airport would further strengthen connectivity linked to the expressway corridor.
The Prime Minister said Uttar Pradesh’s industrial growth was also becoming a strategic strength for India, citing the state’s defence corridor and manufacturing of systems such as the BrahMos missile.
The PM said the expressway symbolised the broader vision of a developed India and expressed confidence that people of the state would convert the opportunities created by the project into prosperity.
