Purvanchal Expressway: Over 300km, 22 flyovers, 6 lanes, and more
What's the story
The ambitious Purvanchal Expressway in Uttar Pradesh was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday.
The Indian Air Force also held an airshow to mark the occasion.
The Prime Minister had laid the foundation stone of the project in July 2018.
It is one of the biggest infrastructure projects completed by the UP government.
Here's all you need to know about it.
Details
Expressway covers over 340 kilometers
The expressway is nearly 341-kilometer-long.
It starts from Chandsarai village in Lucknow district and ends at Haidaria village in Ghazipur district.
It traverses through nine districts of UP, including Lucknow, Barabanki, Faizabad, Ambedkar Nagar, Amethi, Sultanpur, Azamgarh, Mau, and Ghazipur.
It will also connect cities such as Varanasi, Ayodhya, Gorakhpur, and Allahabad through link roads.
Information
7 major bridges, 6 toll plazas, 45 underpasses
The expressway reportedly has seven railway-over-bridges (ROBs), seven major bridges, six toll plazas, 22 flyovers, 45 vehicular underpasses (VUPs), 87 pedestrian underpasses, 114 minor bridges, and 525 box culverts for drainage purposes.
Travel time
Lucknow to Buxar in 4 hours
The expressway will cut travel time from Lucknow to Ghazipur from six hours to three and a half hours.
It will also reduce travel time between Lucknow and Buxar in Bihar from the current seven hours to around four hours.
It also establishes a link between the National Capital Region (NCR) and eastern UP through the Yamuna Expressway and the Agra-Lucknow Expressway.
Features
It features recharge stations, runways, and more
The access-controlled six-lane expressway can be expanded up to eight lanes.
It will feature CNG stations and electric recharge stations, among other facilities.
There is also a provision for the landing of fighter jets on the expressway in case of emergencies. The three-kilometer-long runway is situated at Kudebhar in the Sultanpur district.
The speed limit has been fixed at 100 kilometers per hour.
Security
Elaborate security arrangements made
Further, elaborate security arrangements have been made by Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA).
It will feature advanced traffic management systems and fencing to stop stray animals. Teams will also be present to catch these animals if they reach the expressway.
Twenty patrol vehicles will also be deployed.
Meanwhile, ambulances with life support systems will be kept ready to handle accidents and emergencies.
Costing
How much did the project cost?
The total cost of the project is Rs. 22,494.66 crore, including the cost of land.
The UP government expects 15,000-20,000 vehicles to run on the expressway every day in the initial days after its inauguration.
The authorities will reportedly earn Rs. 202 crore each year through the expressway and no toll will be collected initially.