The Commerce and Industry Ministry announced that the Network Planning Group, which was established under the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan, has assessed and proposed three road connectivity projects. These projects include building a four-lane highway from Gazipur to Ballia, which will cross the state lines of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, converting an existing two-lane road in Uttar Pradesh into a four-lane highway, and building bypasses for Moradabad and Kashipur in both Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. The proposal for a four-lane highway from Gazipur to Ballia to the Uttar Pradesh/Bihar border was made by the ministry to link the economic hubs of Uttar Pradesh (Lucknow, Varanasi, Azamgarh, and Mau towns) for improved freight movement and interstate multimodal connectivity. “This will ensure shortest connectivity from south Bihar to Delhi. At Buxar a bridge on river Ganga is being constructed with spur which will enhance connectivity of South Bihar to Delhi. The project will reduce travel time between Lucknow – Patna by 3.5 Km/hr for seamless traffic, and interstate connectivity. The highway will serve the Lucknow defence corridor at two points (Banaras and Purvanchal expressway), it said. In a statement, the ministry said, “The proposal was to make 2 lane roads into 4 lanes for upgradation and improvement of the roads in Uttar Pradesh. The proposal is for 4 – a lane bypass Palia – Shahjahanpur – Hardoi – Lucknow. “This project is a part of strategic border roads of Indo – Nepal border road project (INBRP) of Ministry of Home Affairs providing connectivity to Indo – Nepal border and facilitating SSB mobility. It will also ensure connectivity to Bardia National Park. It will also enhance the freight flow and traffic movement, it added. The idea was to build a 4-lane bypass between Moradabad and Kashipur in Uttarakhand, UP, to relieve traffic and shorten travel times. “The project provides interstate connectivity between Uttar Pradesh- Uttarakhand -bypass connecting major economic centres of the region. It serves as a trade route for India – Bangladesh, and India- Bhutan – Bangladesh. It will provide connectivity to Jim Corbett National Park, it said. “All 3 projects are important for the improvement and upgradation of the roadways with a view of multimodality, easier commute, and land acquisition, it said. Through PM GatiShakti NMP, it shall be possible to implement these projects in the coming years, it added. The Network Planning Group is made up of the directors of the planning departments for the infrastructure ministries, such as roads and railroads. See also: PM Gati Shakti to boost 196 critical infrastructure gap projectsGati Shakti will catalyse economy, affirm infrastructure experts