From 165 km to 1,500 km, U.P. e-ways on high-speed growth
What started as an attempt to ensure faster road connectivity in the state with the launch of the 165.5 km-long Yamuna Expressway in August 2012 has now turned into a major web of urban motorways spanning 935 km that promises to take Uttar Pradesh's industrial development to new heights.
In December, the state will touch another milestone when it adds 594 km to its expressways' network with the likely launch of the Ganga Expressway—the longest one in the country's fourth-largest state.
The project will cover 12 districts and 518 villages. It spans 7,453.15 hectares and is being readied at a total cost of ₹36,230 crore.
Starting in Meerut, it will pass through Hapur, Bulandshahr, Amroha, Sambhal, Badaun, Shahjahanpur, Hardoi, Unnao, Rae Bareli, Pratapgarh and before culminating in Prayagraj.
The six-lane expressway, which is expandable up to eight lanes, will have 19 toll plazas—including the two main ones at the start and the end.
The expressway covers 518 villages and includes extensive infrastructure development—14 major and 28 minor bridges, eight railway overbridges and 203 underpasses. Key engineering features also include a 960-meter-long bridge on the Ganga and another 720-meter-long bridge on the Ramganga.
For the convenience of commuters, nine wayside facilities—comprising food courts, fuel stations, and rest areas—are being developed. Additionally, 19 ramp toll plazas and two main toll plazas in Meerut and Prayagraj are under construction.
Only e-way with night-landing facility
On May 2 this year, Uttar Pradesh became the first state in the country to ready a night-landing facility for fighter jets on an expressway.
The milestone was reached when Indian Air Force (IAF) jets touched down and took off on a 3.5-km stretch of the Ganga Expressway near Piru village under Jalalabad tehsil in Shahjahanpur.
The exercise was carried out in two phases — during the day and night— to test the airstrip's night-landing capabilities, according to the UP government.
Advanced aircraft, such as the Rafale, Sukhoi-30 MKI, MiG-29, Mirage-2000, Jaguar, AN-32, C-130J Super Hercules, and MI-17 helicopters of the Indian Air Force, took to the skies in an extraordinary showcase of combat-readiness and disaster-relief capabilities.
Swiss tech to ensure quality, comfort
The Yogi Adityanath government has signed an agreement with ETH Zurich University and RTDT Laboratories AG of Switzerland to make the 594-km-long motorway world-class.
The agreement has been signed to implement artificial intelligence (AI) and sensor-based systems that will monitor the quality and comfort on the expressway.
According to the state government, this technology can detect and fix road defects during the construction phase itself. After the successful implementation of this technology on the Ganga Expressway, it will also be used on the Gorakhpur Link Expressway.
'The Swiss technology is being used to ensure the riding quality and comfort while riding on the Ganga Expressway is world-class,' said Shrihari Pratap Shahi, the additional CEO of Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA), which is rolling out expressway projects in the state.
'An SUV, equipped with vibration technology and seven accelerometer sensors (four for quality and three for comfort), is inspecting all six lanes. The vehicle collects data on the road surface, comfort level, and elevation variations, which can be viewed in real time through graphs,' Shahi added.
Security
Every 50 km, two patrol vehicles of the UPEIDA will be deployed to man the stretch. A security officer of the rank of inspector (retd), and assisted by two sub-inspectors (retd), will be deployed as patrol teams.
Every 100 km, a chief security officer (CSO) of the rank of deputy superintendent of police (retd) will be deployed. The UPEIDA will also provide vehicles for security officers.
The toll plaza agency will also provide two additional vehicles and a crane every 50 km.
The toll agency will also provide one ambulance every 50 km and a mobile repair van every 100 km.
'Elaborate security arrangements have been made for all expressways in the state. The same security measures will be implemented for the Ganga Expressway,' said Rajesh Pandey, the security officer of UPEIDA. He is also a former IPS officer.
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