Purvanchal Expressway to take UP to great heights: PM Modi

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) : While laying the foundation stone for 340 km-long Poorvanchal Expressway in Uttar Pradesh's Azamgarh on Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the project will take the state to greater heights.

This road will connect Lucknow with various important towns of Eastern Uttar Pradesh including Barabanki, Amethi, Sultanpur, Faizabad, Ambedkar Nagar, Azamgarh, Mau and Ghazipur in the coming days.

This project will also connect Delhi via expressway to several major towns and cities situated in the state such as Noida.

PM Modi said, "Purvanchal Expressway will take UP, especially Eastern UP, to greater heights. More than Rs 23,000 Crore will be spent on it. 

All the cities, towns and places falling in the route will experience a change."

Praising the Yogi Adityanath-led state government, Prime Minister said the Bharatiya Janata Party has done a commendable work in making the state grow in the economic front by keeping a check on corruption.

"BJP government is working to create an environment of development in UP. What Yogi ji did towards putting a check on crime and corruption, bringing investments to the state and making business easier for small traders, is commendable," he said.

The Prime Minister said that work is underway for waterway and airway.

"We are working on not only working on highway but also waterway and airway. 

Ships sailing from Varanasi to Haldia will take this entire region ahead on the path of industrial development. 12 airports are being developed under UDAN scheme," he said.

Taking a dig at political rivals, Akhilesh Yadav of Samajwadi Party and Mayawati of Bahujan Samajwadi Party, the Prime Minister said, "all those who would not look at one another in the eye earlier, have now come together only for 'Modi'.

These people, out on bail, & the dynast parties now want to create obstacles on your path to development."

Taking a hit at the Opposition, the Prime Minister said that while the Centre is trying their best for the welfare and development of Muslim women, the Opposition is resisting efforts of the Centre.

The Prime Minister also took a jibe at Congress president Rahul Gandhi, he said, " I have read in newspaper that Congress President has said that Congress is a party of Muslims, I am not surprised by this.

 All I want to ask is, is their party only for Muslim men or for women too?"
However, Congress Spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala has refuted the report by an Urdu National Daily, which had quoted the Congress President saying the Congress is a Muslim Party.

He even accused the Opposition of trying to cause hindrance to the development of the backward classes.

"For their political gain, the Opposition is trying to prevent the development of the backward classes. 

They know that if the Dalits, the poor and the other backward classes are empowered, their 'business' will shut down," he said.

Prime Minister Modi in his constituency, Varanasi, will also pave the path for several important projects worth over Rs 900 crore during his visit.

Among the important projects to be dedicated are the Varanasi City Gas Distribution Project and the Varanasi-Ballia EMU train. 

The foundation stone will be laid for the Panchkoshi Parikrama Marg and several projects under the Smart City Mission and Namaami Gange.

Prime Minister Modi is also expected to lay the foundation stone for an International Convention Centre in the region.