UP to develop 170-km Expressway

The Uttar Pradesh government will develop a 170-km expressway along the Upper Ganga Canal (UGC) in collaboration with Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services Limited (IL&FS) and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (IIDC). The work on the project is proposed to start from April 2010 after the preliminary survey and bidding process is complete.

The proposed eight-lane access controlled expressway, to be developed on the right bank of UGC, will extend from Eastern Peripheral Expressway in Ghaziabad to the Uttarakhand border.

According to the state infrastructure development department, the government has adequate land with the state irrigation department for the project.

The expressway is expected to boost the industrial and economic development in the region, while the farmers will find it easier to send their produce to the national capital.

 

An agreement was recently signed between the UP Expressways Industrial Area Development Authority (UPEIDA) and IIDC, which is the advisory and project development wing of IL&FS.

UGC originates at Haridwar in Uttarakhand and traverses several western UP districts, such as Meerut, Bulandshahr, Aligarh and Etawah.

IIDC will soon start work on the survey and alignment of the expressway, and submit a comprehensive report. The company provides integrated professional services towards development of infrastructure projects from project conceptualisation to implementation.

As per the schedule, the Request for Qualification (RfQ) document would be available by January 22, while the pre-bid conference would be held between January 29 and February 5 to select the developer of the proposed expressway.

On February 26, Request for Proposal (RfP) document for financial bidding would be issued and scrutiny takes place on March 29. The government is hoping to award the contract to the successful bidder on March 31 allowing start of work thereafter.

Since the expressway will have a parallel waterway in form of the canal, the government hopes it will boost tourism and waterway transport.