Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], July 13 (ANI): Taking a sharp dig at the double-engine government over infrastructure quality, Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday alleged rampant corruption in major highway projects, claiming that the newly constructed ₹4,700-crore Lucknow-Kanpur Expressway caved in even before its official inauguration. In a post on X, targeting both the Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra governments, Yadav questioned whether a “grand corruption competition” was underway in BJP-ruled states, linking the local project’s flaws to the issues plaguing the ₹6,700-crore “Missing Link” project in Maharashtra.
“Expressways are built so that people can drive fast and carefree, not so that they chant God’s name all along the route,” Yadav said in a scathing social media post. “In the BJP government, the Lucknow-Kanpur Expressway, built at a cost of 4,700 crores, sank even before its inauguration; meanwhile, in BJP’s own government in Maharashtra, the 6,700-crore ‘Missing Link’ project turned into a complete mess, earning it worldwide notoriety as the ‘connecting link’ between the BJP government and the corrupt.”
The former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister raised serious design and logistical concerns regarding the new corridor, pointing out that traffic bottlenecks at entry points would nullify the advantages of high-speed transit.”The time it will take to travel between the two cities will be less than the time it takes to enter the city from the expressway,” Yadav asserted.
“The public is asking: Is this designed for the convenience of the people, or to make profits for BJP-aligned contractors?”Emphasising that compromise on structural integrity poses a direct threat to commuter safety, the SP chief warned that fear of accidents would deter travellers despite shortened commuting times.”If this state persists due to corruption, passengers will think twice–forty times over–before setting out on a 40-minute journey.
If speed isn’t safe, it means nothing,” Yadav stated, demanding accountability for the execution of the high-profile infrastructure projects.The remarks came ahead of the scheduled inauguration of the Lucknow-Kanpur Expressway and three other National Highway projects worth over Rs 4,850 crore.According to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), the Kanpur-Lucknow Expressway will provide faster, smoother and safer travel between the two major cities while improving connectivity within Uttar Pradesh and with neighbouring states.
The expressway will facilitate easier movement towards Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Delhi through the Jhansi and Agra routes. It will also improve connectivity towards Bihar and Nepal via the Prayagraj-Varanasi corridor.The project will provide passengers travelling between Kanpur and Lucknow with faster and uninterrupted access to Lucknow Airport and the city’s major urban road, Shaheed Path. The improved connectivity is expected to reduce travel time, ease traffic congestion and enhance commuting convenience for residents and commercial users. (ANI)
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