State-level environmental impact assessment committee in Uttar Pradesh (UP) has given Environmental Clearance (EC) for construction of ambitious Ganga Expressway project of UP government.

Key Points

• According to a 2006 notification of Union Ministry of Environment, environment clearance for these projects covered under the schedule was mandatory.
• UPEIDA obtained the EC for Ganga Expressway Project was based on the 2006 notification.

Ganga Expressway Project

• The Ganga Expressway Project is a greenfield six-lane expressway project.
• It is being built at an estimated cost of Rs 36,230 crore.
• The expressway connects Meerut in west UP to Prayagraj in east UP.
• It will be around 594 km long and 6-lane wide, which can further be expanded to eight lanes.

Districts through which expressway will pass

Ganga expressway will pass through 12 districts in Uttar Pradesh. These districts are: Meerut-Hapur-Bulandshahar-Amroha-Sambhal-Badaun-Shahjahanpur-Hardoi-Unnao-Raebareli-Pratapgarh-Prayagraj, from west to east in that order.

Which bank is supporting the project?

Uttar Pradesh government received the sanction letter for Rs 5100 crore loan for this project from Punjab National Bank (PNB).