Yogi: Gorakhpur link expressway will boost development
GORAKHPUR :Hailing the farmers for giving up their land for the proposed Gorakhpur ‘link expressway’, chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday said the 90-km expressway, connecting Gorakhpur to Azamgarh, will act as ‘backbone of development’ for the city and east UP.
The CM also said work was progressing on a war footing for the construction of Purvanchal expressway, the main route of which will be possibly opened for traffic by the end of this year.
He was addressing a gathering after felicitating farmers whose lands have been acquired in four districts -- Gorakhpur, Sant Kabir Nagar, Ambedkarnagar
and Azamgarh -- for construction of the link expressway, the MoU of which was signed between Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA) and two constructions firms at the programme held at GIDA (Gorakhpur Industrial Development Area).
A total of 500 farmers have given about 1,076 acres of land for the purpose.
“The soul of ancestors of these farmers will rest in peace while all such farmers will have a sense of satisfaction that their land is being utilised for the progress of the state and country. Though our farmers are
‘annadata’ (one who feeds people) but we will have to acquire their lands if it is required for the nation’s growth,” he said.
Citing the example of Jewar, the CM said 3,000 acres of land was acquired for building an international airport.
“The land was acquired from famers at higher rates. Once the project is completed, it will fetch revenue of ₹1 lakh crore to the state government, contributing to the development of the state and the country,” he said.
The CM also asserted that adequate compensation within the time-frame must be provided to farmers. He said the ₹5,876 crore link expressway project will have four lanes, which would be extendable to six lanes in the near future. The CM further said the work on Bundelkhand expressway will also start from this year while Meerut and Praygaraj will be linked through Ganga expressway to fuel growth.