Ganga Expressway | Noida - Ballia | 1047 Kms | 8 lanes | Proposed

***IndiansUnite*** · April 22nd, 2008, 10:47 PM

A road project of this massive size needs a thread of its own.

Project background from Wikipedia:

The Ganga Expressway Project was launched by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati after coming to power in 2007. The project aims to construct a 1047 km access controlled eight-laned expressway running along the Ganga river. This expressway will connect Greater Noida to Ballia thus ensuring high speed connectivity between the Eastern and Western boundaries of Uttar Pradesh. The project is expected to be completed in the next four years.

Relevant posts from the Highways thread:

Sept 5, 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Suraj

Uttar Pradesh to get 1,000 km expressway

Quote:

The Uttar Pradesh government today announced building of a 1,000 km, eight-lane expressway connecting Ballia in the east with Noida in the west at a cost of Rs 40,000 crore.

The expressway will be built entirely on private investment and the state government would only act as a facilitator.

The project would cut down the travel time between Varanasi and Delhi by about eight to ten hours.

Sept 5, 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sridhar

I think it is an 850kms project, including the main highway + some spurs to connect to some of the major cities which are off the main highway.

Sept 5, 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by IndiansUnite

Euromast had posted about it a week ago in the NCR thread. There it says the main highway would be 850km long. I guess the 1000kms figure includes links to important cities. And yeah,it has been christened the 'Ganga Expressway'

article from HT

UP CM announces Ganga Expressway

Quote:

Chief Minister Mayawati on Wednesday announced Rs 40,000 crore Ganga Expressway from Ballia to Noida on the left bank of the river Ganga.

The Cabinet on Wednesday gave approval to the 1000 kms long expressway project that is likely to be completed within three years. The central government has already given environmental clearance and the process for the appointment of consultants was underway.

The highway project would connect eastern and western UP and it would prove a boon for Poorvanchal, Mayawati told newsmen in Lucknow on Wednesday. It would also have seven link expressways connecting every region of the state with the main road. "It would boost development in Poorvanchal and Bundelkhand," Mayawati said and added the government would invite private investors to take up the eight-lane expressway. Since it is along the banks of river Ganga, the irrigation department headed by minister Nasimuddin Siddique would be the main government agency.

"Conceived in private sector the government would only be a facilitator," the chief minister said. The project would also help in controlling the perennial problem of flood and land erosion, she said. The farmers would be able to quickly transport perishable farm products to the market, Mayawati said.

The Cabinet Secretary Shashank Shekhar Singh said "it would be a toll road" but the viability of the project with such a huge investment could not be only on the basis of toll and the investors would be allowed to develop industrial and commercial hubs and residential colonies along with route. The expressway would run 3 to 5 kms away from the river and irrigation department would provide the land. Ruling out the possibility of any major displacement of people, Singh said the investors would also acquire land under the project.

By January 2008 the chief minister would lay foundation of the project, he said and added the techno-economic feasibility report would be available within the next few months. He said the original cost of the expressway would be Rs 26000 crore and the remaining Rs 14000 crore expenditure would be on other infrastructure development.

The seven link ways would however be developed in the future, the chief minister said. Ganga Expressway would pass through Gautam Buddha Nagar, Bulandshahr, Badaun, Shahjehanpur, Fatehgarh, Farrukhabad, Hardoi, Unnao, Rae Bareli, Pratapgarh, Allahabad, Sant Ravidasnagar, Mirzapur, Varanasi, Ghazipur and Ballia.

Sept5 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by IndiansUnite

Here's another map from the Telegraph simply connecting Noida and Ballia

Dec31 2007:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Euromast

Maya to open Ganga Expressway on Jan 15

Quote:

UTTAR Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati will be in Gautam Budh Nagar district on January 15, which is also her birthday, to inaugurate the muchtalked about Ganga Expressway in Greater Noida.
A special helipad is under construction at the place of inauguration in Jaganpur village. The helipad could cost the Public Works Department a few crore rupees but officials refused to comment.

Jan6 2008:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Euromast

Ganga Expressway gets going, winning bidders on Jan 14

Quote:

Authorities have moved fast to implement the 1,000-km-long Ganga Expressway in Uttar Pradesh, within weeks of the invitation of technical bids. Four private sector winners who would build the Rs 40,000-crore project will be announced as early as January 14, informed sources said.

"Financial bids for the project will be opened on January 13 and winning bidders will be announced on the next day while work on the project will commence on January 15 as per the directives UP chief minister Ms Mayawati," a senior official in the Uttar Pradesh government told Hindustan Times.

Infrastructure developers including DLF, Unitech, Reliance Energy and the Japyee Group are among the frontrunners in the race to build the project, which would link Ballia in the remote, underdeveloped part of the state to the national capital's suburb of Noida, throwing up a key infrastructure lifeline aimed at boosting all-round economic growth in the state.

The eight–lane expressway would be built on the left bank of the Ganga, with the state government acting as a facilitator for the project.

The state government had invited technical bids from interested bidders last month and 18 private consortia were shortlisted.

Uttar Pradesh government's UP Expressway Development Authority will form a special purpose vehicle with each of the winning bidder and according to the sources each winning bidder will be given a 250-km stretch to build the expressway

According to the plan, the developer was to be announced on 14th January but the news of JP group bagging the project came out a day before.

Jan 13:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Suncity

Maya's dream project gets to the next stage. But will the opposition parties (irrespective of right or left), whose only work is opposing projects, scuttle the project?

JP bags Rs 30,000 crore UP expressway project
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/J...ow/2697365.cms

Quote:

Delhi-based Jaiprakash (JP) Associates bagged the controversial Rs 30,000 crore Ganga expressway project, to be built from Greater Noida to Balia. The total length of the expressway will be 1,000 km and will be completed in four years. UP CM Mayawati will lay the foundation stone for the project on Monday.

A senior official of a company which had bid for the project said that JP bid was very aggressive as they quoted around 50% lower than Reliance Energy, the second lowest bidder. The entire stretch is devided into four sectors - Greater Noida to Fatehgarh of 253 Km, Fatehgarh to Dalmau (305 km), Dalmau to Aurai of 211 (km) and Aurai to Balia 278 (km).

Most of the political parties including Samajwadi Party, BJP, Congress and political organization like Jan Morcha led by former PM Vishwanath Pratap Singh are opposing the project as it will lead to acquisition of the fertile land along the river Ganga.

Jan14 08:

Quote:

Originally Posted by IndiansUnite

the Ganga Expressway will be launched today

The UP govt has also made a comprehensive rehabilitation policy -

Jan 15:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Luckystreak

JP bags Ganga Expressway Project

Video:
http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv....aspx?id=22231

Apr 14:

Quote:

Originally Posted by IndiansUnite

here are some details on the Ganga Expressway from a 2 week old article. Interesting to note that work will simultaneously begin in all districts and will not be carried out in a phased manner as we were earlier informed.

Jaypee Group upbeat on expressway

Quote:

Lucknow, Mar 31 With the signing of the 35-year concession agreement for the ambitious 1047-km-long Ganga Expressway project from Noida to Ballia, between the Jaypee Group and the Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority, decks have been cleared to put the project on the fast track.

The group has opened offices in all the 16 districts, through which the expressway would pass and a nodal officer appointed in them all. Speaking to FE, Samir Gaur, director of the newly formed Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), Jaypee Ganga Infrastructure Corporation, said work has already begun on the technical and engineering front. "Our technical team is already working on finalising the design and the alignment of the project and will submit its project report soon. On the other hand, work on the land acquisition will start as soon as the alignment of the expressway is finalised. Once we know which villages and tehsils the expressway would cut through, we will start identifying the owners of the land and acquire it."

Regarding the business plan of the company and as to how it is planning the financial closure of the project, which is to be submitted within nine months, Gaur said that this is not going to be an issue. "The important thing that banks see is whether the company is stable. While we have almost 48% equity within the group, around 35% is owned by the banks and FIIs. The valuation of the Taj Expressway project, in which ICICI Ventures is our lead bank, is in itself 25,000 crore. We do not foresee any problem in presenting our financial closure at the right time. Once we start land acquisition, banks will gain confidence in the project and come forward. There is no dearth of lenders these days if any project is viable," he stated.

When asked from which end would work on the expressway commence first, Gaur said, "We will begin work simultaneously from all the 16 districts. The target of completing work in 4 years is very tough and we cannot afford to begin work in phases. For us, it is a 24x7 work schedule, which only can help us in finishing off at the expected time."

It may be mentioned that the Jaypee Group, one of the 5 bidders who had come forward for developing the Ganga Expressway, had asked for minimum development rights.

They had also asked for minimum land for development: 30,000 acre, out of which 20,000 acre have been identified in Patiali tehsil in Etah itself, while the remaining 10,000 acre of land parcels have been identified in Allahabad, Mirzapur, Varanasi, Pratapgarh, Rae Bareli, Unnao, and Bulandshahr. "Almost 80% of the land along the expressway's path is arid and barren, which is literally, of no use to the farmers. We do not think any farmer would not want to sell of wasteland and get a good compensation in lieu of it, as well as have development and its resultant fringe benefits at his doorstep," added Gaur optimistically.

Hindustani · May 18th, 2008, 05:15 PM

UP is a doombed state. this will take decades to get off the floor. dont hold your breath on this one.

***IndiansUnite*** · May 18th, 2008, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hindustani

UP is a doombed state. this will take decades to get off the floor. dont hold your breath on this one.

Bro, this road project has been the fastest project to get off the ground and be tendered out to a developer. Mayawati announced this project in Sept07 and it got awarded to Jaypee Group in Jan08. If NHAI was constructing it, then they would have taken a good 2 years for it to be awarded to a developer. Read the last article to see how gung-ho Jaypee Group is.

Sridhar · May 18th, 2008, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IndiansUnite

Bro, this road project has been the fastest project to get off the ground and be tendered out to a developer. Mayawati announced this project in Sept07 and it got awarded to Jaypee Group in Jan08. If NHAI was constructing it, then they would have taken a good 2 years for it to be awarded to a developer. Read the last article to see how gung-ho Jaypee Group is.

Sure, NHAI has typically been slower. But there is an apples to oranges comparison there. In most of the NHAI projects, the project design stage has been separated from the project implementation stage. First, NHAI tenders the project study to a design consultant. Based on techno-economic feasibility, a design for the project is drawn up (including alignment, locations of interchanges, bypasses etc.). Only after the design is finalized is the project tendered out for construction and simultaneously land is acquired (so that it is available before the project construction begins). In the Ganga expressway case, the tender is for design cum construction. And land has not been acquired before the project is tendered. The time consuming parts are design and land acquisition (largely the latter). Therefore, the NHAI timelines and Ganga expressway timelines are not strictly comparable.

Of course, NHAI is a bureaucracy and has its own delays due to political and administrative reasons.

***IndiansUnite*** · May 18th, 2008, 08:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sridhar

Sure, NHAI has typically been slower. But there is an apples to oranges comparison there. In most of the NHAI projects, the project design stage has been separated from the project implementation stage. First, NHAI tenders the project study to a design consultant. Based on techno-economic feasibility, a design for the project is drawn up (including alignment, locations of interchanges, bypasses etc.). Only after the design is finalized is the project tendered out for construction and simultaneously land is acquired (so that it is available before the project construction begins). In the Ganga expressway case, the tender is for design cum construction. And land has not been acquired before the project is tendered. The time consuming parts are design and land acquisition (largely the latter). Therefore, the NHAI timelines and Ganga expressway timelines are not strictly comparable.

Of course, NHAI is a bureaucracy and has its own delays due to political and administrative reasons.

I generally don't get into the intricate details of the whole process so I explained whatever I had to in chai-paani terms. Whatever you said is true, but if you compare the time taken from the announcement of the project right to the time of opening, the GEx is planned to be executed in a much lesser time than the proposed 1000kms of expressway by NHAI which is also based on the same Design, Build, Finance and Operate method like the GEx. NHAI had first made their expressway plans clear in 2006 and last time I read, they said that the entire 1000kms will be completed only by 2015. In GEx's case they plan to complete the project in 2012. Ofcourse land acquisition and opposition from the opposition party will play a role in the execution date but till then I am glad that atleast they've set the ball rolling.

Babji · May 18th, 2008, 09:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IndiansUnite

... The Ganga Expressway Project was launched by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati after coming to power in 2007. The project aims to construct a 1047 km access controlled eight-laned expressway running along the Ganga river. This expressway will connect Greater Noida to Ballia thus ensuring high speed connectivity between the Eastern and Western boundaries of Uttar Pradesh. The project is expected to be completed in the next four years...

Quote:

Lucknow, Mar 31 With the signing of the 35-year concession agreement for the ambitious 1047-km-long Ganga Expressway project from Noida to Ballia, between the Jaypee Group and the Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority, decks have been cleared to put the project on the fast track.

The group has opened offices in all the 16 districts, through which the expressway would pass and a nodal officer appointed in them all. Speaking to FE, Samir Gaur, director of the newly formed Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), Jaypee Ganga Infrastructure Corporation, said work has already begun on the technical and engineering front. "Our technical team is already working on finalising the design and the alignment of the project and will submit its project report soon. On the other hand, work on the land acquisition will start as soon as the alignment of the expressway is finalised. Once we know which villages and tehsils the expressway would cut through, we will start identifying the owners of the land and acquire it."

Regarding the business plan of the company and as to how it is planning the financial closure of the project, which is to be submitted within nine months, Gaur said that this is not going to be an issue. "The important thing that banks see is whether the company is stable. While we have almost 48% equity within the group, around 35% is owned by the banks and FIIs. The valuation of the Taj Expressway project, in which ICICI Ventures is our lead bank, is in itself 25,000 crore. We do not foresee any problem in presenting our financial closure at the right time. Once we start land acquisition, banks will gain confidence in the project and come forward. There is no dearth of lenders these days if any project is viable," he stated.

... "We will begin work simultaneously from all the 16 districts. The target of completing work in 4 years is very tough and we cannot afford to begin work in phases. For us, it is a 24x7 work schedule, which only can help us in finishing off at the expected time."...

They had also asked for minimum land for development: 30,000 acre, out of which 20,000 acre have been identified in Patiali tehsil in Etah itself, while the remaining 10,000 acre of land parcels have been identified in Allahabad, Mirzapur, Varanasi, Pratapgarh, Rae Bareli, Unnao, and Bulandshahr...

wow! what a daredevil project. I wish every state in India should start one such road project.

harsh1802 · May 18th, 2008, 10:01 PM

Yeah.....this is huge.

Hope they have good eco plan.

Sridhar · May 21st, 2008, 07:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IndiansUnite

I generally don't get into the intricate details of the whole process so I explained whatever I had to in chai-paani terms. Whatever you said is true, but if you compare the time taken from the announcement of the project right to the time of opening, the GEx is planned to be executed in a much lesser time than the proposed 1000kms of expressway by NHAI which is also based on the same Design, Build, Finance and Operate method like the GEx. NHAI had first made their expressway plans clear in 2006 and last time I read, they said that the entire 1000kms will be completed only by 2015. In GEx's case they plan to complete the project in 2012. Ofcourse land acquisition and opposition from the opposition party will play a role in the execution date but till then I am glad that atleast they've set the ball rolling.

Point taken. Let's hope that the project gets completed within the schedule. It will be a huge boost to the infrastructure of UP and India as a whole and it can transform our highway landscape drastically as other states learn from this and start thinking in an ambitious way as well.

zhiemi · May 21st, 2008, 09:15 PM

Ditto on that.

Massive project! Once get done, it will not only benefit UP but also Bihar, West Bengal, the North East and other parts of the country

kamal_raj · August 10th, 2008, 05:28 PM

Old news but has not yet been posted.

Ganga Expressway alignment plan submitted

http://www.financialexpress.com/news...mitted/337001/

sidney_jec · August 12th, 2008, 07:35 AM

i was skeptical about the project from the very beginning but a relative of mine who works for a firm busy preparing DPR for the project said that its very much on.
The DPR would be submitted to the govt in 6 months from now along with all the environmental implications. The land acquisition process would start then.

Meanwhile work on the first stretch of 25 Km of Yamuna Expressway has started on the land where the Noida - Greater Noida E'way ends.

Will get the necessary updates as and when possible.

phaedrus · August 12th, 2008, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sidney_jec

Meanwhile work on the first stretch of 25 Km of Yamuna Expressway has started on the land where the Noida - Greater Noida E'way ends.

Will get the necessary updates as and when possible.

thanks for the info

india · September 5th, 2008, 11:38 AM

Has there been any news on this lately?

dreadathecontrols · September 7th, 2008, 06:47 PM

we all know oim a bit tik but . .
surely the GQ section from dehli to calcutta does this, or a very similar route?Are they gonna run next to each other or am i missing something?

Hindustani · September 9th, 2008, 01:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kolkatausa

No, Calcutta-Delhi route is a very busy route..and this will def help expedite interstate commerce amongst the Northern states like UP and Bihar along with North Eastern States like WB and the seven sisters, and with Eastern States like Orissa and Jharkand.

I hope UP govt takes care of the flooding business in UP & Bihar. Hope these idiots are making it elevated enuf & doesnt get drowned every year in monsoon floods.

Last thing you wanna see is a latest state-of-the-art multi billion $$$ 8-laned expressway fully flooded in moonsoon rains throughout the state.

kk2008 · September 9th, 2008, 02:21 AM

Post-Singur: expressway developer takes steps to avoid land row

Fri, Sep 5 02:11 AM

A Singur in Uttar Pradesh? No way, says Samir Gaur, director of Jaypee Group, which won the development rights for the Rs 40,000 crore, 1047-km Ganga Expressway that would traverse from Ballia on the eastern fringes of the state to the national capital region in Greater Noida.

With the group kicking off its land acquisition plans by submitting its proposal to acquire land from 17 villages of Bukandshahr in its first package to the UP Expressway Industrial Development Authority, the ball has set rolling for the highly ambitious project. It may be mentioned that a staggering 30,000 acres of land has to be acquired along 17 districts.

The alignment plan for the project has been finalised and given in-principle approval by the government after roadblocks regarding the alignment at Narora and Varanasi were cleared. While the alignment in Narora had to be shifted slightly due to the Narora atomic power station as well as a dolphin sanctuary, a turtle sanctuary near Benaras was the reason why the alignment had to be changed before being approved by the state government.

What would be a balm on the shaky morale of India Inc, Gaur said that he did not foresee a Singur-like impasse happening in Uttar Pradesh. "Already, we have 70 survey teams on the ground, preparing a detailed project report and our nodal offices in all the 17 districts are working round the clock on the designing aspect. Once the government clears our proposal, we will start acquiring land and also make sure that we do not have any situation of strife here, for we have always striven to take everyone along with us. We would make sure that we convince the peasants of the benefits of the projects and explain to them the way development can change life for the better for them, too."

When asked what could be the solution to growing opposition of farmers, which is acting as a severe deterrent to industrialisation in the country, Gaur was of the opinion that the farmer must be made comfortable and taken along on the path of development. "Land is definitely a scarce commodity and the only way to ensure food security for the farmers. Hence, all efforts must be made to give him a good price for his piece of land." On the issue of coming out with more innovative compensation packages like employment, partnerships and shareholding, Gaur seemed open to it and said the company is keenly studying on all the other patterns of compensation that could be offered to the land owners. "We would follow the Central government's resettlement and rehabilitation policy and do all that is possible for the displaced farmers," he added.

Simultaneous to the process of acquiring land, the company is also in talks with many national and international construction firms for the construction of the four packages that the project comprises of. The project has been divided into four individual packages of road sections. It may be mentioned that the state government has an ambitious plan to develop the Expressway as the industrial development corridor of the state. "The Ganga Expressway project will not only be a highway, but would provide us with ample space and opportunity for developing SEZs along its 1,047 km stretch," said a senior government official.

bhargavsura · September 9th, 2008, 02:31 AM

This is a big dream. In order to complete 1047 km stretch, they will have to dream big and get all the things cleared first- environmental clearances, slum areas and things like that.

dreadathecontrols · September 9th, 2008, 06:43 PM

my geographies just not good enough.looks like there right on top of each other.
cant get enough roads. . .

a_niranjan · September 17th, 2008, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hindustani

I hope UP govt takes care of the flooding business in UP & Bihar. Hope these idiots are making it elevated enuf & doesnt get drowned every year in monsoon floods.

Last thing you wanna see is a latest state-of-the-art multi billion $$$ 8-laned expressway fully flooded in moonsoon rains throughout the state.

As I recall, the project is not just a road but a flood control measure as well. It will act as a levy. Hence, rather than get flooded itself, it will ensure that all the land north of the Ganga never gets flooded again.

And yes, I agree that Bihar should find the will to extend this through their state as well. Of course, the recent flooding was due to the Kosi changing its alignment, so a Ganga levy would not have helped at all.

vidya · September 26th, 2008, 08:28 AM

Here is the latest update of on ganga expressway what Samajwadi Party supremo and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Mulayam Singh Yadav today said

Source : http://www.saharasamay.com

May 18th, 2008, 10:01 PM	#7
harsh1802 MAVerick Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Hyderabad/Houston Posts: 6,713 Likes (Received): 11	Yeah.....this is huge. Hope they have good eco plan. __________________ Harsh's Photo Thread / Bharadwaj's mini South India Trip Webcams Thread / Hyderabad Cityscapes "We are all atheists about most of the gods that humanity has ever believed in. Some of us just go one god further." - Richard Dawkins

September 5th, 2008, 11:38 AM	#13
india aham brahmasmi Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 822 Likes (Received): 20	Has there been any news on this lately? Last edited by india; September 5th, 2008 at 12:05 PM.

September 7th, 2008, 06:47 PM	#14
dreadathecontrols unregistered Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 2,578 Likes (Received): 1	we all know oim a bit tik but . . surely the GQ section from dehli to calcutta does this, or a very similar route?Are they gonna run next to each other or am i missing something? __________________ *......guess who's coming to dinner.....*

September 9th, 2008, 06:43 PM	#18
dreadathecontrols unregistered Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 2,578 Likes (Received): 1	my geographies just not good enough.looks like there right on top of each other. cant get enough roads. . . __________________ *......guess who's coming to dinner.....*

September 26th, 2008, 08:28 AM	#20
vidya Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 258 Likes (Received): 0	Mulayam goes hard on terror Here is the latest update of on ganga expressway what Samajwadi Party supremo and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Mulayam Singh Yadav today said Source : http://www.saharasamay.com

May 18th, 2008, 05:15 PM	#2
Hindustani Registered User Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 4,015 Likes (Received): 7	UP is a doombed state. this will take decades to get off the floor. dont hold your breath on this one.

May 21st, 2008, 09:15 PM	#9
zhiemi sitz, it is. Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: New Delhi Posts: 1,888 Likes (Received): 0	Ditto on that. Massive project! Once get done, it will not only benefit UP but also Bihar, West Bengal, the North East and other parts of the country

August 10th, 2008, 05:28 PM	#10
kamal_raj Registered User Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 5 Likes (Received): 0	Old news but has not yet been posted. Ganga Expressway alignment plan submitted http://www.financialexpress.com/news...mitted/337001/

August 12th, 2008, 07:35 AM	#11
sidney_jec Complex Equation Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 6,246	i was skeptical about the project from the very beginning but a relative of mine who works for a firm busy preparing DPR for the project said that its very much on. The DPR would be submitted to the govt in 6 months from now along with all the environmental implications. The land acquisition process would start then. Meanwhile work on the first stretch of 25 Km of Yamuna Expressway has started on the land where the Noida - Greater Noida E'way ends. Will get the necessary updates as and when possible.

September 9th, 2008, 02:21 AM	#16
kk2008 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 49 Likes (Received): 0	Post-Singur: expressway developer takes steps to avoid land row Fri, Sep 5 02:11 AM A Singur in Uttar Pradesh? No way, says Samir Gaur, director of Jaypee Group, which won the development rights for the Rs 40,000 crore, 1047-km Ganga Expressway that would traverse from Ballia on the eastern fringes of the state to the national capital region in Greater Noida. With the group kicking off its land acquisition plans by submitting its proposal to acquire land from 17 villages of Bukandshahr in its first package to the UP Expressway Industrial Development Authority, the ball has set rolling for the highly ambitious project. It may be mentioned that a staggering 30,000 acres of land has to be acquired along 17 districts. The alignment plan for the project has been finalised and given in-principle approval by the government after roadblocks regarding the alignment at Narora and Varanasi were cleared. While the alignment in Narora had to be shifted slightly due to the Narora atomic power station as well as a dolphin sanctuary, a turtle sanctuary near Benaras was the reason why the alignment had to be changed before being approved by the state government. What would be a balm on the shaky morale of India Inc, Gaur said that he did not foresee a Singur-like impasse happening in Uttar Pradesh. "Already, we have 70 survey teams on the ground, preparing a detailed project report and our nodal offices in all the 17 districts are working round the clock on the designing aspect. Once the government clears our proposal, we will start acquiring land and also make sure that we do not have any situation of strife here, for we have always striven to take everyone along with us. We would make sure that we convince the peasants of the benefits of the projects and explain to them the way development can change life for the better for them, too." When asked what could be the solution to growing opposition of farmers, which is acting as a severe deterrent to industrialisation in the country, Gaur was of the opinion that the farmer must be made comfortable and taken along on the path of development. "Land is definitely a scarce commodity and the only way to ensure food security for the farmers. Hence, all efforts must be made to give him a good price for his piece of land." On the issue of coming out with more innovative compensation packages like employment, partnerships and shareholding, Gaur seemed open to it and said the company is keenly studying on all the other patterns of compensation that could be offered to the land owners. "We would follow the Central government's resettlement and rehabilitation policy and do all that is possible for the displaced farmers," he added. Simultaneous to the process of acquiring land, the company is also in talks with many national and international construction firms for the construction of the four packages that the project comprises of. The project has been divided into four individual packages of road sections. It may be mentioned that the state government has an ambitious plan to develop the Expressway as the industrial development corridor of the state. "The Ganga Expressway project will not only be a highway, but would provide us with ample space and opportunity for developing SEZs along its 1,047 km stretch," said a senior government official.

September 9th, 2008, 02:31 AM	#17
bhargavsura Registered User Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 8,468	This is a big dream. In order to complete 1047 km stretch, they will have to dream big and get all the things cleared first- environmental clearances, slum areas and things like that.

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