TOILucknow6Jan-08

‘Expressway’ to prosperity

Proposed network of expressways could prove a boon for farmers and small-scale units in up

Imagine Rae Bareli farmers selling fresh vegetable surplus in Delhi within hours of harvesting; small scale units of Kanpur delivering products for export at a short notice; IT-SEZ in Lucknow and handicrafts of Firozabad and Varanasi accessible through the same route. It could be a reality, if plan to construct expressways sees the light of the day, reports

Ashish Tripathi

Tonnes of potato were discarded to rot away by cold storages in Etawah, and Fatehpur last week. Obviously, because of the excess in the market. Few months back, farmers in four western UP districts set their sugarcane crop on fire after mills stopped buying due to surplus production. The loss, however, could have been checked, if UP farmers had an easy access to the outside world.

UP produces surplus food grains with 73% population engaged in agriculture but it accounts for only 46% of the state income. The state is India’s second largest economy after Maharashtra with immense scope for industry but its annual economic growth is only between 2-3%, much below country average of around 8%. As a result, over 40% people live below poverty line.

The question: Why UP continues to be the most backward in the country? Apart from being the most populated state (190 million which is 17% of India’s population and more than that of Pakistan), economists say major reason for backwardness is poor infrastructure and connectivity, which prevents people from reaping maximum benefit out of agriculture and exploit industrial potential.

The answer: ‘‘Open up the state,’’ said Atul Kumar Gupta, chief secretary, UP. ‘‘Just connect every corner of UP with expressways leading to Delhi and the enterprising people here will find a way to prosperity,’’ he hastens to add. That’s why, he said, state government has come up with the ambitious plan of developing a network of expressways through public-private partnership.

The most interesting and unique feature of this plan is that the government would not be spending a single penny. It will only acquire the land and give it to the developer for construction of expressways.

The developer will not only fund the project but procure all necessary clearance for construction work besides ensuring that each norm and law is followed in its execution.

In return, government will give the developer pockets of land on lease all along the expressways to use it for developing industrial and residential areas, commercial hub and Special Economic Zone (SEZ) to earn profit. Besides, it will also get the right to collect toll for some period. The state will be benefited by way of taxes paid by those starting industries in the area.

‘‘We have set up UP Expressway Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA) for developing link of expressways in the state and UP State Highways Authority (UPSHA) for removal of connectivity bottlenecks on highways by constructing railway over bridges, strengthening and maintaining existing highways, building culverts, among other things,’’ the chief secretary explained.

What about people displaced by acquisitions? ‘‘We are acquiring degraded land. Affected families will get a compensation — more than the cost of the land apart from free residential land. If the acquisition of land is for development projects, 15% of the flats/plots would be reserved for the families and a person from each will be employed by the developer,’’ he said.

But it’s easier said than done. UP has always been good in planning but very poor in execution? ‘‘Yes people had doubts. But we have proven them wrong by almost completing the Yamuna Expressway and starting work on the Ganga Expressway,’’ said Gupta. ‘‘You know what Punjab did for development. It connected all the villages to roads. Why can’t we do the same,’’ he said.

Is it mere

making castles in the air? TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Lucknow: Contrary to the claims made by the government, sources said that of all the projects only the Ganga Expressway may complete on time as it has become a prestige issue for the powers-that-be. Rest of the projects face many hurdles. From environmental clearance to the rehabilitation of displaced, government will face problems at every step.

Already, questions are being raised over allotment of the Ganga Expressway project. Sources cite the Yamuna Expressway as an example to support their point. The project was initiated by the previous Mayawati regime but was delayed because of controversy.

Further, the track record of government agencies is poor. The UP State Highways Authority has not even been able to complete the work in nine highways given to it five years back, senior officers in the government said.

Even the Union Planning Commission members have been raising questions over UP’s ability to execute the project. ‘‘UP has potential and always been good in planning but poor in implementation,’’ Anwarul Hoda, member Planning Commission and expert on infrastructure planning had told TOI some time back. THE ROADMAP

YAMUNA EXPRESSWAY l Cost | Rs 3,200 crore l Connect | 165 km six-lane expressway from Agra to Noida via Mathura, Ghaziabad, Baghpat and Muzaffarnagar l Status | Land handed over to developer in three districts, remaining transfer soon l Completion | 2010 l Benefit | Travel time reduced by two hours

GANGA EXPRESSWAY l Cost | Rs 30,000 crore l Connect | 1047 km eight-lane project from Ballia to Noida connecting all the cities on river Ganga’s route l Status | Notification for 633 villages falling along expressway issued. Construction work to commence soon l Completion | 2012-13 l Benefit | Travel time reduced by 8-10 hours, operating cost reduction by 30%. Impetus to real state, independent townships, agri-business units etc l Developer gets | 12,300 hectare of land on lease for 90 years for development. Concession period collection and retention of toll for 35 years. l Special Features | Four major bridges, 32 rail over bridges, 1,720 culverts, 261 mini bridges, underpasses

UPEIDA FOR CONSTRUCTION OF: l 250 km of Ghaziabad-Saharanpur-Kalsia expressway on river Hidon l 350 km of Bijnore-Moradabad-Fatehgarh expressway on river Ram Ganga l 950 km of Jhansi-Kanpur-Lucknow-Gorakhpur-Kushinagar expressway l Lucknow-Barabanki-Nanpara expressway l Agra-Kanpur expressway on river Yamuna Status | Concept report prepared. Work to appoint consultants on l All these expressways to be linked with Ganga and Yamuna expressways l Cost | Rs 47,000 crore l Completion | 2014

UPSHA ACTION l Remove bottlenecks l Strengthen 1,265 km of 9 state highways l Maintain 503 km of 6 state highways l Construct 21 railway overbridges

TOTAL COST | Rs 80,000 cr