Uttar Pradesh Sets World Record By Building 34 Kms Of Ganga Expressway In A Single Day
Generally, infrastructure in India takes years to develop. It is mostly because the authorities that work on infrastructure development take their sweet time to finish the work given to them. However, recently, something astonishing has taken place. It has been announced that the state of Uttar Pradesh has managed to break three records after 34 km of the Ganga Expressway was constructed in just 24 hours. Yes, you read that right!
34 km road constuction in 24 hours
While working on the Ganga Expressway project, Adani Road and Transport Limited (ARTL) and Patel Infrastructure Limited, which is the infrastructure partner, managed to lay down 34.24 lane kilometres of bituminous concrete in just 24 hours. In addition to this, 10 km of metal beam crash barriers were also installed.
In total, 20,105 metric tonnes of bituminous material was used, and 171,210 sqm area was covered. This construction of the expressway took place between Hardoi and Unnao districts in Uttar Pradesh. As for the record, this achievement has been officially certified and recorded in the Golden Book of World Records, Asia Book of Records, and the India Book of Records as well.
Ganga Expressway
For those who may not be aware, the Ganga Expressway is a 594 km long road project which is currently under construction from Meerut to Prayagraj. It covers 12 districts, and it is expected to extend up to Ballia, which will make it India’s longest expressway.
The expressway aims to improve connectivity and provide faster transport across Uttar Pradesh. Its completion was originally planned before Maha Kumbh 2025; however, it has been facing delays, and it is running behind schedule.
Commenting on the achievement of this record, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said, “New heights for Uttar Pradesh! In only 24 hours, 10 km of crash barriers and 34.24 lane km of bituminous concrete were completed, earning two world records.” He added that Uttar Pradesh Expressway Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA) has to be credited for the “excellent planning, technical proficiency, and committed teamwork.”
Additionally, Arvind Patel, Managing Director of Patel Infrastructure Ltd, said, “We are proud to be contributing to nation-building through such monumental achievements. This is not just a record, it’s a reflection of Indian engineering brilliance and our team’s unwavering spirit.”
What about the quality?
The achievement of constructing 34 km of expressway in 24 hours is very significant. However, a lot of people have been asking about the quality of work done in order to achieve this record. Generally, when things are constructed in such a quick time, there are doubts about whether a number of shortcuts have been taken.
In India, a lot of times, speed is given preference over quality, which leads to bigger problems. Over the last few years, we have seen that a number of newly constructed roads and expressways across the country have started deteriorating quickly. Last year, a video showing such an issue on the Delhi–Mumbai Expressway with a massive flaw went viral on the internet.
In this clip, a Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, and a Tata Indica were seen flying off after going over an unwanted indentation in the expressway. As a result of this video going viral, the Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, stated that operators responsible for the poorly maintained sections of the Eastern Peripheral Expressway will not be spared by the government. Also a fine of Rs 50 lakh was imposed on this roads contractor.