PM inaugurates Eastern Peripheral Expressway

New Delhi, May 29

Asserting that infrastructure is a key priority of his government, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said Rs 3 lakh crore has been spent on laying a network of 28,000 km of highways.

Highways, railways, airways and I-ways have been the focus of the government he said.

Highways construction has reached 27 km a day from mere 12 km a day during Congress regime while last year 10 crore people undertook air journeys, he said.

Modi was addressing a public rally here after dedicating the Eastern Peripheral Expressway (EPE) to the nation. The 135 km EPE has been built at a cost of Rs 11,000 crore in 500 days.

He said that apart from Rs 5 lakh crore provision for Bharatmala for highways, a provision of Rs 14 lakh crore was made in the budget to strengthen agriculture related infrastructure.

The government is sensitive to the plight of sugarcane farmers and adequate steps are taken to provide proper prices for their crop, he said.

While talking about social justice, Modi said his government is committed to Dalit protection and has constituted special courts for fast-track hearing of cases of atrocities.

Lauding Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath, he said criminals in Uttar Pradesh are now surrendering themselves and pledging not to indulge in illegal acts.

About the Ganga cleaning programme, Modi said more than 200 projects worth Rs 21,000 crore for have been taken up.

Taking a jibe at Congress, Modi said it had betrayed people for 70 years and played politics to create a crisis of confidence whether related to EVMs or other critical issues.

He said the Opposition was spreading rumours on farmer issues and asked people not to give credence to lies about farms given on contract farming.

In his about 50 minute-speech, he said all-round development work has been initiated.

Delhi-Meerut Expressway

Modi also inaugurated the first phase of the Delhi-Meerut expressway on Sunday.

After inaugurating the 14-lane expressway spanning Sarai Kale Khan in Delhi to UP Gate, Modi rode in an open car, waving at crowds gathered on either sides of the highway.

Road Transport and Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari too rode in a separate open car alongside Modi.

The roadshow started from Nizamuddin bridge, the start of the about 9-km first leg of the Delhi-Meerut Expressway. After a 6-km travel on the stretch, he flew to Baghpat in Uttar Pradesh to inaugurate the country's first smart and green highway, the Eastern Peripheral Expressway.

The first phase of the Delhi-Meerut Expressway cost Rs 842 crore, according to an advertisement released by the government on the project.

The Delhi-Meerut Expressway, which will have dedicated bicycle tracks on the nearly 28-km stretch between Delhi and Dasna, will cut travel time between Delhi and Meerut to 45 minutes from two-and-half hour now. The total length of the project is 82 km, of which the first 27.74 km will be 14-laned, while the rest will be 6-lane expressway.

The expressway will do away with 31 traffic signals on the Delhi-Meerut road, the busiest highway in the region, and make it signal free.

Modi had in December 2015 laid the foundation stone of the Delhi-Meerut Expressway to be built at a cost of Rs 7,566 crore.

The project is being built in four segments—Nizamuddin Bridge to UP Border, UP Border to Dasna, Dasna to Hapur and Hapur to Meerut.

Besides, six-laning of 22 km long Dasna-Hapur section of NH 24 will cost Rs 1,122 crore. Agencies