Lucknow, July 13 (IANS) Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday led ceremonies for the inauguration and foundation stone-laying of three National Highway projects, including the Lucknow–Kanpur Expressway, in Uttar Pradesh, worth over Rs 4,850 crore.

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also participated in the events.

The new Lucknow–Kanpur Expressway is expected to reduce the travel time between Lucknow and Kanpur to just 30–35 minutes.

Rajnath Singh said, “Through this expressway, the light of development will reach even small towns and villages. I can confidently say that this expressway will prove to be a boon for the present and future generations.”

In a message on X, the Defence Minister said, “Today, the inauguration of the Lucknow-Kanpur 6-lane Expressway and the Lucknow-Hardoi 4-lane Expressway, both constructed by NHAI, has taken place. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to all the residents of the state, especially the people of Lucknow, on the inauguration of these projects.”

“Constructed at a cost of approximately Rs 4,200 crore, this 63-kilometer-long, 6-lane wide road connects the three districts of Lucknow, Kanpur, and Unnao into a single thread. With the completion of this expressway, people will be able to travel in less time with comfort and safety,” he wrote.

“Lucknow and Kanpur are both major cities, historical cities. On the one hand, Lucknow is a symbol of our cultural and administrative strength; on the other hand, Kanpur is a major hub of our industrial and economic potential. Lucknow and Kanpur are also important nodes of the Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor,” he said.

Rajnath Singh praised the rapid pace of development in the state under CM Adityanath. “This is a matter of discussion not among state residents but also in other states,” he said.

“The strict law and order system given by the Chief Minister is a matter of pride for Lucknow and other cities,” he said.

Shedding light on the new and proposed projects, Gadkari said, “Reaching the airport will not take more than 25 minutes. I assure you of that. Similarly, travel from Lucknow to Sitapur will take about 50 minutes. We will also construct service roads along the Kisan Path in Lucknow.”

“After showing the final design to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, we will finalise the project. I am also approving the Ayodhya–Gonda road project, along with the Gonda Bypass, for Rs 3,400 crore. We will try to begin work on it this year,” he said.

–IANS

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