PM Modi to visit UP; to inaugurate Ganga Expressway, projects in Varanasi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Uttar Pradesh on April 28-29. On April 28 at around 5 PM, the Prime Minister will participate in Mahila Sammelan, where he will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of various development projects worth around Rs 6,350 crore in Varanasi. He will also address the gathering on the occasion On April 29, at around 8:30 AM, the Prime Minister will perform darshan and pooja The at Shri Kashi Vishawanath temple in Varanasi. Thereafter, the Prime Minister will travel to Hardoi and at around 11:30 AM, the Prime Minister will inaugurate the Ganga Expressway. He will also address the gathering on the occasion, the Prime Minister's Office said.

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The Prime Minister will participate in Mahima Sammelan, which will witness the presence of women in large numbers from across the region.

Development Works in Varanasi

The Prime Minister will dedicate over 48 completed projects, worth over Rs 1,050 crore, to the nations. Key infrastructure projects include the completion of the Varanasi-Azamgarh Road widening, the opening of critical Rail Over Bridges at Kazzakpura and Kadipur, and the inauguration of a Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) with a capacity of 55 MLD in Bhagwanpur, among others Prime Minister will inaugurate a diverse array of community-focused projects. These include 30 rural drinking water schemes under the Jal Jeevan Mission, the redevelopment of Chandrawati Ghat, tourism development of Sarangnath Temple near Sarnath, and beautification and renovation works of Sant Ravidas Park, Nagwa.

Enhancements to public services and sports are also prominent, featuring a synthetic hockey turf at UP College, a 100-bed old age home in Ramnagar, and a 1MW solar power plant at the Bhelupur Water Treatment Plant. The Prime Minister will inaugurate the Sowa Rigpa Bhawan and Hospital at the Central University of Tibetan Studies, reflecting a commitment to integrating traditional medicine with modern healthcare systems.

Foundation Stones for New Projects

Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone of over 112 projects worth around Rs 5,300 crore. These include 13 sewerage and water supply schemes under AMRUT 2.0, a 500-bed multi-super-specialty hospital at Shri Shiv Prasad Gupta Divisional District Hospital, construction of market complexes and office spaces at Bhojuveer and Sigra, renovation and rejuvenation of ponds, redevelopment of a 198-bed hospital, construction of a 100-bed critical care block, and development of tourism facilities at key ghats including Assi Ghat, Dashashwamedh Ghat, and Namo Ghat, the release stated.

To strengthen governance and social welfare infrastructure, the Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone for the Integrated Divisional Office, Nagar Nigam office building, and a Government Child Shelter Home and Juvenile Justice Board in Ramnagar. The Prime Minister will also transfer over Rs 105 crore as a bonus to milk suppliers of Uttar Pradesh associated with Banas Dairy.

Enhanced Rail Connectivity

Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone of the Varanasi Junction--The Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction third and fourth railway line project, including the construction of a rail-cum-road bridge over the Ganga River. The project will benefit Varanasi and Chandauli districts by reducing rail congestion, enhancing logistics efficiency, strengthening multi-modal connectivity, and ensuring smoother traffic movement. It will also improve access to Kashi Vishwanath Dham, the Ramnagar area, and National Highway-19, while strengthening rail connectivity with eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

Prime Minister will also flag off two new Amrit Bharat Express trains: Banaras-Pune (Hadapsar) and Ayodhya-Mumbai (Lokmanya Tilak Terminus). These trains will provide affordable and modern travel options and enhance connectivity between Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra. The Banaras-Pune service will facilitate easier access to Kashi Vishwanath Dham, while the Ayodhya-Mumbai service will improve connectivity to the Shri Ram Mandir Teerth Kshetra, strengthening links between key religious destinations.

Ganga Expressway Inauguration

Prime Minister will inaugurate the Ganga Expressway in Hardoi district, marking a significant milestone in the development of world-class infrastructure in the country. The Ganga Expressway is a 594-kilometre-long, 6-lane (expandable to 8 lanes), access-controlled greenfield high-speed corridor, built at a total cost of around ₹36,230 crore. The expressway traverses 12 districts- Meerut, Bulandshahr, Hapur, Amroha, Sambhal, Badaun, Shahjahanpur, Hardoi, Unnao, Raebareli, Pratapgarh, and Prayagraj-thereby connecting Western, Central, and Eastern regions of Uttar Pradesh through a single seamless high-speed corridor.

Strategic Features and Economic Impact

The project is expected to significantly reduce travel time between Meerut and Prayagraj from the current 10-12 hours to approximately 6 hours, enhancing ease of movement and efficiency in transportation, as per the release. A key highlight of the project is the provision of a 3.5 km-long Emergency Landing Facility (airstrip) in Shahjahanpur district. This dual-use infrastructure enhances national security preparedness and adds strategic value beyond economic benefits.

The Ganga Expressway is envisioned as a major economic corridor, with the development of Integrated Manufacturing and Logistics Corridors over approximately 2,635 hectares across the 12 districts along its alignment. The expressway will reduce logistics costs, improve supply chain efficiency, and boost manufacturing competitiveness. Improved connectivity will provide farmers with direct access to urban and export markets, facilitating better price realisation and strengthening rural incomes. The project is also expected to boost tourism, unlock new economic opportunities and generate direct and indirect employment opportunities across the region.

Integration with Expressway Network

The Ganga Expressway will also serve as a backbone for a broader expressway network in the state, with several link corridors either operational or planned, including the Agra-Lucknow Expressway, Jewar Link Expressway, Farrukhabad Link Expressway, and the proposed extension from Meerut to Haridwar. This emerging expressway grid will expand high-speed road connectivity across Uttar Pradesh from East to West and from North to South, enabling balanced regional development, the release noted.

The Ganga Expressway is not merely a transportation project but a transformative initiative that will reduce logistics costs, attract industrial investment, boost agriculture and rural incomes, generate employment, and drive holistic economic growth across the state. (ANI)