Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 296 km four-lane Bundelkhand Expressway in Uttar Pradesh today which will connect Chitrakoot with the Lucknow-Agra Expressway.
Built with an investment of Rs 14,850 crore, the entire work on the expressway has been completed in 28 months with the foundation stone for the project having been laid by PM Modi on February 29, 2020.
Along with improving connectivity in the region, the Bundelkhand Expressway will also give a major boost to economic development. Work on the creation of an industrial corridor in Banda and Jalaun districts, next to the Expressway has already started.
Addressing a massive gathering after inaugurating the expressway, PM Modi denounced those who resorted to collecting votes by distributing "free revdi" (sweets) implying freebies given by political parties, a practice he said has to be removed from the country's politics.
"This Revdi culture is very dangerous for the development of the country. Those with Revdi culture will never build new expressways, new airports or defence corridors for you. Together we have to defeat this thinking, remove Revdi culture from the politics of the country," said the PM.
The Prime Minister said that the double-engine governments of the BJP in the states and the Centre are not resorting to "shortcuts of distributing the free revdi", but "working hard to improve the future of the state".
PM Modi pointed out that said that "If two things- law and order situation and connectivity were to be corrected, I knew this would become a state that can fight against all odds. We improved both law and order situation and connectivity," PM Modi said
The Prime Minister also asked people to keep away from everything that can hamper the development of the country.
"No work should be done in the country whose base is not connected with India's present aspirations and bright future. Everything that hampers the development of the country and harms it, we have to keep away," PM Modi said.
"I have come to Bundelkhand, the land of Rani Laxmi Bai, I pray to people of over 6 lakh villages in India that when we are celebrating the 75th year of Independence, it is our responsibility that we should begin making the roadmap from now, Functions should be held in every village for the next one month to remember the people who sacrificed and freedom fighters," he added.
The Modi government has focused greatly on connectivity and infrastructure. The budgetary allocation of Rs 1.99 lakh crore for the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways in Budget 2022-23 is the highest ever. This is a jump of over 550 per cent when compared to the allocation of about Rs. 30,300 crore in 2013-14, according to senior officials.
In the last seven years, the length of National Highways in the country has gone up by more than 50 per cent from 91,287 km (as on April 2014) to around 1,41,000 km (as on December 31, 2021).
