Hardoi

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday praised farmers for playing a key role in the construction of the Ganga Expressway, saying more than one lakh cultivators provided land for the project and helped ensure its timely completion.

Addressing a gathering before the inauguration ceremony, Adityanath thanked the farmers, calling them annadata, and said their support had turned the ambitious project into reality.

At an event in Hardoi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 594-kilometre access-controlled expressway connecting Meerut to Prayagraj through 12 districts of the state.

The chief minister said the foundation stone for the project had been laid by Modi in December 2021 and that the expressway had now been completed within the targeted timeframe, reflecting the government’s focus on infrastructure development.

According to Adityanath, nearly 18,000 acres of land were acquired from farmers for the corridor, while an additional 7,000 acres were earmarked for industrial clusters and logistics hubs along the route.

He said the expressway would improve transport links, strengthen the state economy, encourage industrial expansion and generate employment opportunities. He also described the project as a backbone for Uttar Pradesh’s economic growth and an important step toward the vision of a developed India.

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Anandiben Patel, Deputy Chief Ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak, along with Union Minister Pankaj Chaudhary and other dignitaries, were present at the programme.