The Gorakhpur Link Expressway in Uttar Pradesh is anticipated to contribute to the holistic development, promising economic growth and substantial pollution control upon completion. The 91.35 km-long expressway will pass through four major districts of the State, including Gorakhpur, Sant Kabir Nagar, Ambedkar Nagar and Azamgarh. Implemented by the Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA), under Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) model, the access-controlled thoroughfare is expected to significantly bode well for various sectors like commerce, tourism, agriculture, and real estate.
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Gorakhpur Link Expressway: Key features
Land acquisition for this Greenfield project began in February 2019. Apco Infratech and Dilip Buildcon began construction in February 2020 with a 36-month deadline. The entire project is divided into two civil packages:
| Package | Area | Contractor |
|---|---|---|
| Package 1 | Jaitpur (Gorakhpur) to Fulwariya (Ambedkar Nagar) | Apco Infratech |
| Package 2 | Fulwariya (Ambedkar Nagar) to Salarpur (Azamgarh) | Dilip Buildcon |
The project has a 110-meter right-of-way (ROW). The expressway's southern terminal at Salarpur on the Purvanchal Expressway connects the fours districts, crossing the Ghaghara River along the way.
The project will include service roads and underpasses for pedestrians, vehicles, and animals. It will also have two toll plazas, three ramp plazas, 27 minor bridges, over 50 vehicular underpasses for light vehicles, 16 vehicular underpasses, and more than 30 pedestrian underpasses.
Spreading over 1,095 hectares, the estimated cost of the expressway is about Rs 5,876 crore, including the land cost.
Gorakhpur Link Expressway: Route map
Gorakhpur Link Expressway: Current status
The Expressway was planned to open by March 2022 but is currently under construction. The delay can be attributed to the exhaustive land acquisition process followed by the intermittent construction ban due to the pandemic. At present, the project is almost 43 percent complete and is likely to open to the public in the next few months.
How will the expressway impact the realty sentiment in the region?
To facilitate the transport of cultural and commercial assets between Gorakhpur and Azamgarh, the Uttar Pradesh government approved the Gorakhpur Link Expressway. Through this expressway, commuters will benefit from faster connectivity and a shorter trip time. Furthermore, the State government is developing industrial corridors, warehouses, cold-chain infrastructure, and real estate arcades along the expressway to harness their economic potential. Hence, like the Purvanchal Expressway, the Gorakhpur Link Expressway is also expected to enhance the commercial and residential real estate development and augment the property prices in the region.
