The Uttar Pradesh government has touted major improvements made in the state’s road and air connectivity in the last eight years as part of its development plan till 2047. According to government data and reports, projects that were moving at a slow pace before 2017 are now being completed at a faster pace, with special focus on expressway, highway and airport construction.
Under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), the total length of rural roads increased from 51,549 km in 2013-14 to 56,846 km in 2016-17. It is targeted to increase this to 77,425 km from 2017 to 2024-25.
The national highway network has also seen a doubling in the last 20 years, from 5,599 km in 2004-05 to 12,292 km in 2023-24. According to officials, the reform has made freight transport simpler and cheaper, and will help establish the state as the “expressway capital” of India.
Until 2017, Uttar Pradesh had only three operational expressways, but now, according to government data, the state has 22 expressways, some of which are completed and some are under construction. These include major expressways such as Purvanchal Expressway, Bundelkhand Expressway, Yamuna Expressway, Agra-Lucknow Expressway and Gorakhpur Link Expressway. Additionally, several more expressways are under construction, such as Ganga Expressway, Jewar Link Expressway, Vindhya Expressway, Chitrakoot Link Expressway and Meerut-Haridwar Link Expressway. Officials believe that these projects will provide better connectivity within the state and with neighboring regions.
Increase in air travel
Uttar Pradesh has also seen unprecedented growth in the field of air travel. The state now has 12 domestic and 4 international airports, much higher than the limited network before 2017. According to government data, passenger traffic grew by only 5.5 million in the 17 years from 1999 to 2016, while in the last eight years this figure has increased to 8.2 million. The state government estimates that annual passenger traffic in Uttar Pradesh could reach 1.42 crore by 2025.
The most prominent project of the state is the Jewar International Airport, which is expected to become Asia’s largest airport according to officials. The project will emerge as an important hub for passenger and cargo transport in the region.
In addition, the state government has also planned to build a north-south expressway corridor by 2030, as well as a proposal to build transit hubs on the Nepal border and ropeways at tourist places. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has said that he aims to have an airport in every division of Uttar Pradesh by 2047. Along with this, there are also plans to build “green” highways, cargo transport hubs, heliports and modern aviation systems.
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