Lucknow, Oct 29 (IANS) Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, while chairing a high-level review meeting of the Uttar Pradesh Industrial Expressway Development Authority (UPEIDA) on Wednesday, said that expressways are not merely roads but the backbone of Uttar Pradesh’s economy and industrial future.

He directed officials to ensure that the construction of the Ganga Expressway is completed by December, emphasising that progress must be expedited to strengthen connectivity between the western and eastern regions of the state.

The Chief Minister also ordered weekly reviews of every project’s progress and stressed that no compromise on quality would be tolerated.

The meeting also reviewed the proposed extensions of the Ganga Expressway — including the Meerut–Haridwar, Noida–Jewar, and Chitrakoot–Rewa Link Expressways — as well as the planned Vindhya Expressway and Vindhya–Purvanchal Link Expressway, which will connect Prayagraj, Mirzapur, Varanasi, Chandauli, and Sonbhadra.

CM Yogi directed that while planning new expressways, full alignment should be maintained with the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) network to prevent overlap and ensure an integrated, coordinated road infrastructure across the state.

The Chief Minister also directed the establishment of skill development centres at all nodes of the defence industrial corridor in Lucknow, Kanpur, Jhansi, Agra, Aligarh, and Chitrakoot.

He said these centres should provide technical training to local youth, linking them to the defence industry to create employment opportunities and promote regional self-reliance.

The meeting was informed that investment proposals totalling around Rs 30,819 crore have been received for the defence corridor, with 5,039 acres of land acquired and several companies already commencing operations.

Highlighting the state’s land allocation policy, the Chief Minister stated that if an investor fails to utilise the allotted land within three years, the allocation should automatically be cancelled.

He instructed officials to establish a transparent system to monitor land use and to provide further facilities to investors only based on genuine progress.

The meeting also reviewed UPEIDA’s time-bound plan to attract investment in industrial clusters and logistics parks being developed along the expressways. The plan includes ensuring reliable electricity and water supply, truck terminals, way stations, and health and emergency facilities.

–IANS

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