UP wants to complete Yamuna Expressway before Games

UP wants to complete Yamuna Expressway before Games
The Financial Express, November 19, 2009, Page 4

Deepa Jainani, Lucknow

Intending to make Yamuna Expressway a growth engine for all future development of the state, the Uttar Pradesh government has issued directives that the expressway be completed and open to traffic before the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi. Sticking to the time schedules, the concessionaire of the project Jaypee Infratech is working at neck breaking speed, having completed almost 80% of the earthwork and starting off with concreting from Noida end.

Speaking to FE on condition of anonymity, an official of the state government said lot of prestige is associated with the project as it will be the first infrastructure development project that would finally see the light of the day during the two-and-a half year reign of chief minister Mayawati. In a way it would be the yardstick by other developers for investing in the state. The chief minister has many more ambitious plans for the state, all of which would either revolve around Yamuna Epressway or would be fostered by it. With land for the entire 165-km expressway already available with the developer, a massive workforce of around 10,000 people has been pumped in to work round the clock to complete the mega project. The total cost of the project is pegged at Rs 10000 crore.

The expressway, which will cross the five districts of Gautambudh Nagar, Aligarh, Mahamaya Nagar (Hathras), Mathura and Agra, will have six interchanges from point zero at Noida. Apart from these interchanges, other structures like car tracks, pedestrian pathways, canals, bridges and underpasses are also being constructed simultaneously.

A senior official of the Yamuna Expressway Authority said a total of six toll plazas are being proposed. While there would be two each at Gautambudh Nagar and Mathura, Aligarh and Agra would have one toll plaza each.

The project, which is being constructed on build operate transfer PPP basis, will be maintained and operated by the concessionaire during the entire concession period of 36 years and after expiry of the concession period, it shall be handed over to the authority. An official of the company stated that the toll amount is being worked upon and no final shape has been given to it yet.