Nod to Ganga Canal Expressway

The Uttar Pradesh government has given the nod to go ahead with the proposed eight-lane Upper Ganga Canal Expressway (UGCE) project, kick-starting the process of getting bids for tenders from the month-end. "The UP Expressways Industrial Development Authority (Upeida) has invited tenders and these will be opened on January 31st after being shortlisted to six contenders and the cost of the project is likely to be Rs 8450 crore," project engineer and coordinator in Meerut, A.P. Singh said.

The 212-km expressway flanking the Upper Ganga Canal is proposed from Sanauta Bridge in Greater Noida to Purkazi on the Uttar Pradesh-Uttarakhand border. Last year, the financial bidding process was cancelled several times due to variety of reasons, including investors' lack of interest and environmental issues. The Environment Ministry, had in July last year, raised concerns over the project, saying it would lead to loss of over a lakh trees.

It also raised apprehensions on the effect of the project on a variety of endangered species of animals, including that of snakes, bulls, foxes, jackals and rabbits. The UP government, in a latest project report, has claimed its complete readiness to go ahead with it, hoping to get the Request for Proposal (RFP) documents from bidders by January 31, Singh said.