Purvanchal Expressway Inauguration: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Purvanchal Express this afternoon. The expressway is expected to gallop the pace of development in the state. The people of this area were eagerly waiting for the 341 km long expressway to be operational. 


The launch of the expressway will not only reduce the travel time between Lucknow and Ghazipur but also accelerate the development in the region. The 6-lane expressway has been constructed in a record 36 months with a cost of Rs 22,500 crore.


Purvanchal expressway has a three-and-a-half-kilometer-long airstrip. It can be used in emergencies during war times. Fighter planes can easily land and take off on this runway.


Five Major Features Of Purvanchal Express-



  1. The total length of Purvanchal Expressway is 341 km, and three and a half kilometers of airstrip has been constructed on this expressway.

  2. With the inauguration of the Purvanchal Express, the journey time from Lucknow to Ghazipur will now be reduced to three and half hours instead of 10 hours.

  3. The expressway has been constructed in a record 36 months. A total of Rs. 22,435 crore has been spent on it. It connects nine districts of Uttar Pradesh.

  4. 18 flyovers have been constructed on Purvanchal Expressway. There are seven railways bridges and seven long bridges. There are 118 small bridges and 271 underpasses.

  5. Nine districts that will be connected by the expressway are Lucknow, Barabanki, Amethi, Sultanpur, Ayodhya, Ambedkarnagar, Azamgarh, Mau, and Ghazipur. 


The expressway will be the lifeline of Purvanchal, connecting the nine districts starting from Chand Sarai village on Lucknow-Sultanpur Road, and ending at Haidaria village in Ghazipur. The journey, between Lucknow and Ghazipur which used to take ten hours, will now take only 3.5 hours.


Villages up to a distance of 10 kilometers near the expressway are being connected to it. It will also be beneficial for farmers as they will be able to bring their produce directly to the state capital. Business activities along the expressway are expected to gain momentum. 


Vehicles on Purvanchal Expressway will be allowed to run at a speed of more than 100 kmph. The advanced traffic management system has been installed on the expressway and fencing has been done on both sides of the expressway to stop animals. There is also a system of continuous patrolling on the expressway. A helipad will also be built along with police posts.


Eight petrol pumps and four CNG stations are to be constructed at the expressway. Electronic substations for battery charging will also be constructed. 4.5 lakh trees are being planted along the expressway and a rainwater harvesting arrangement is also set up at every 500 meters. There is no toll on Purvanchal Expressway at present but toll booths have been set up at 11 places.