Gorakhpur (UP), Jun 19 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will inaugurate the Gorakhpur Link Expressway on Friday, marking a major boost to road connectivity in eastern Uttar Pradesh, an official statement said.
It said inauguration ceremonies will be held at both ends of the 91.35-kilometre expressway — at Salarpur in Azamgarh and Bhagwanpur toll plaza near Gorakhpur.
After the formal launch and public address in Azamgarh, the chief minister will travel along the expressway to Gorakhpur, where he will conclude the inauguration with another address.
The expressway is being hailed by locals as a new gateway for the region’s development.
The Gorakhpur Link Expressway stretches from Jaitpur (near NH-27) in Gorakhpur to Salarpur in Azamgarh, where it gets connected to the Purvanchal Expressway.
Spanning four districts — Gorakhpur, Sant Kabir Nagar, Ambedkar Nagar and Azamgarh — the fully access-controlled, four-lane expressway is designed for future expansion to six lanes.
The project, including land acquisition, costs Rs 7,283.28 crore.
Construction was divided into two phases — Jaitpur to Phulwaria (48.317 km) by APCO Infratech Pvt Ltd and Phulwaria to Salarpur (43.035 km) by Dilip Buildcon Ltd.
The expressway will reduce travel time between Gorakhpur city and its southern areas such as Urwa, Dhuriyapar, Khajni and Belghat, the statement said.
Travel from Gorakhpur to Urwa, which currently takes around an hour, will now take just 20–25 minutes via the expressway. Moreover, the expressway provides a swift and convenient route from Gorakhpur to Lucknow.
With its access-controlled design and linkage to the Purvanchal Expressway, the journey from Gorakhpur to Lucknow will take just about three and a half hours. The route also offers improved connectivity to Delhi and Agra, ensuring a faster and safer travel experience.
During the expressway journey on Friday after its inauguration, the Chief Minister will halt at the newly constructed bridge over the Ghaghara River at Kamharighat for an inspection lasting around 10 minutes.
He will then proceed to Bhagwanpur toll plaza in Gorakhpur, where he will formally conclude the inauguration and deliver another address.
During the event at the Bhagwanpur toll plaza, CM Yogi will flag off the Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA) security fleet designed for commuter safety on the expressway.
The chief minister will visit photo galleries set up by UPEIDA at both Azamgarh and Gorakhpur ends of the expressway.
To mark the occasion, Adityanath will plant a sapling of ‘Harishankari’ near the Bhagwanpur toll plaza, the statement said. PTI ABN ABN KSS KSS
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