 Early Times Report
LUCKNOW/AZAMGARH, June 20: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, on Friday, said that Azamgarh, once plagued by an identity crisis, has now transformed into a stronghold of indomitable courage. This change is the result of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's guidance and the efforts of the double-engine government, which have transformed Uttar Pradesh from a BIMARU state into an 'expressway state'.
The CM inaugurated the 91.352 km long Gorakhpur Link Expressway built at a cost of Rs. 7,283 crore in Azamgarh. Amid the chanting of Vedic mantras, he cut the ribbon and dedicated the expressway to the public. During this, he said, "This expressway will provide world-class connectivity not only to Azamgarh but also to Ambedkar Nagar, Sant Kabir Nagar, and Gorakhpur."
CM Yogi further said that the Gorakhpur Link Expressway will connect eastern Uttar Pradesh to the mainstream of development and make travel from Patna to Delhi much easier. He noted that in 2017, only two expressways existed-Yamuna and Agra-Lucknow, and the latter was incomplete until the BJP government finished it.
Today, the state has the 340 km Purvanchal Expressway, the 300 km Bundelkhand Expressway, and the 91 km Gorakhpur Link Expressway operational. In addition, work is underway on six more expressways, including the 600 km Ganga Expressway, Lucknow-Kanpur, and the Ballia link, he added.
The CM added that the Delhi-Meerut Expressway has already cut down the travel time from three hours to just 40-45 minutes. He mentioned that the Ganga Expressway will be inaugurated by the Prime Minister by the end of this year, making Uttar Pradesh's infrastructure so strong that nothing can stop the state from becoming prosperous. He said that by 2047, when India becomes a developed nation, Uttar Pradesh will play a leading role as a developed and self-reliant state, thanks to the efforts of the double-engine BJP government.
Targeting the opposition, CM Yogi said that before 2017, the roads were in such poor condition that it was hard to distinguish the road from the potholes. "The foundation stone for the Purvanchal Expressway had been laid, but not even the land was acquired. The previous government wanted to build a 110 meter wide expressway for Rs. 15,200 crore, but the double-engine government built a wider, 120 meter expressway for Rs. 11,800 crore." He added that people understand very well where the saved money would have gone if things had been left to the previous government.
Attacking the opposition, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday accused previous governments of aligning with underworld elements instead of prioritizing development. "They joined hands with the D-Company and Dawood's gang, compromising the state's security and turning Azamgarh into a hub of terror." He recalled the murder of Ajit Rai in 2007-08 at Shibli National College for standing up for 'Vande Mataram', and said that now no one would dare such an act.
"Today, if anyone tries to play with the security of the state, 'a ticket to Yamraj' is already booked for them," Yogi added. |
