PM Modi to inaugurate Purvanchal Express today, grand air show planned

New Delhi, Nov 15: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be in Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday and inaugurate Purvanchal Expressway at Karwal Kheri in Sultanpur district at around 1:30 PM.

"Tomorrow is a special day for Uttar Pradesh's growth trajectory. At 1:30PM, the Purvanchal Expressway will be inaugurated. This project brings with it multiple benefits for UP's economic and social progress," PM Modi tweeted.

PM Modi is scheduled to land at the modified airstrip via the C-130J Super Hercules transport aircraft on Tuesday. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will also land at the same airstrip.

After the launch, the Prime Minister will witness an airshow by the Indian Air Force on the 3.2 kilometre airstrip constructed on the expressway in Sultanpur district. The airstrip will enable landing and take-off of IAF fighter planes in case of emergency.

The Purvanchal Expressway is 341 Km long. It starts from village Chaudsarai, district Lucknow located on Lucknow-Sultanpur road (NH-731) and ends at village Hydaria located on National Highway No. 31, 18 km east of UP-Bihar border. The expressway is 6-lane wide which can be expanded to 8-lane in future.

Constructed at an estimated cost of about Rs 22500 crore, the Purvanchal Expressway is going to give a boost to the economic development of eastern part of Uttar Pradesh especially the districts of Lucknow, Barabanki, Amethi, Ayodhya, Sultanpur, Ambedkar Nagar, Azamgarh, Mau and Ghazipur.

The area around the programme venue in Sultanpur has been decorated in saffron colour while the airstrip and the divider has also been festooned. Heavy security arrangements have been made for the event.

According to the district administration, the fighter aircraft will perform touch-and-go operation on the expressway. Sukhoi, Mirage, Rafale, and AN-32 aircraft will be participating in the air show, it said.

In July 2018, PM Modi laid the foundation of the Purvanchal Expressway in Azamgarh.