Lucknow: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will embark on a two-day visit to Uttar Pradesh on April 28 and 29, during which he will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for a series of major development projects and launch the ambitious Ganga Expressway.On April 28, Modi will attend a Mahila Sammelan organised by the BJP in his parliamentary constituency of Varanasi. The event attains much significance days after the 131st Constitutional Amendment Act advancing women reservation was defeated in Parliament.During the event, the Prime Minister will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for projects worth approximately Rs 6,350 crore. He will dedicate 48 completed projects worth over Rs 1,050 crore to the nation. These include key infrastructure upgrades such as the Varanasi-Azamgarh road widening, new rail overbridges at Kazzakpura and Kadipur, and a 55-MLD sewage treatment plant in Bhagwanpur.In addition, several community-oriented initiatives will be launched by Modi, including rural drinking water schemes under the Jal Jeevan Mission, redevelopment of Chandrawati Ghat, tourism development near Sarnath, and beautification of Sant Ravidas Park. Public service infrastructure will also get a boost with projects like a synthetic hockey turf, a 100-bed old age home in Ramnagar, and a solar power plant at Bhelupur.Modi will lay the foundation stone for over 112 projects worth Rs 5,300 crore. These include 13 sewerage and water supply schemes under AMRUT 2.0, a 500-bed multi-super-speciality 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.To strengthen governance and social welfare infrastructure, Prime Minister Modi will lay the foundation stone for the Integrated Divisional Office, Nagar Nigam office building, a Govt Child Shelter Home and Juvenile Justice Board in Ramnagar. He will also transfer over Rs 105 crore as bonus to milk suppliers of UP associated with Banas Dairy.Modi will lay the foundation stone for the Varanasi Junction-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 is projected to benefit Varanasi and Chandauli districts by reducing rail congestion, enhancing logistics efficiency, strengthening multi-modal connectivity, and ensuring smoother traffic movement. The project will also improve access to Kashi Vishwanath Dham, the Ramnagar area, and National Highway 19, while strengthening rail connectivity with eastern UP and Bihar.The 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 UP, 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 temple town.On April 29, Modi will offer prayers at the iconic Kashi Vishwanath Temple before heading to Hardoi, where he will inaugurate the Ganga Expressway, the country’s largest infrastructure project.Stretching over a distance of 594 km and built at a cost of about Rs 36,230 crore, the expressway is proposed to connect 12 districts from Meerut to Prayagraj, significantly reducing travel time from 10 to 12 hours to around six hours.The project also includes a 3.5-km emergency airstrip in Shahjahanpur, adding a strategic dimension for national security.The Ganga Expressway is projected to transform UP’s economic landscape by reducing logistics costs, boosting industrial investment, and strengthening supply chains. It will also support farmers by improving access to markets and is likely to generate employment across sectors.Integrated manufacturing and logistics corridors planned along the expressway will further enhance its role as a major economic artery. Additionally, it will integrate with other expressways like the Agra-Lucknow and proposed Meerut-Haridwar corridors, creating a comprehensive high-speed road network across the state.
