India is on the path of development with the latest technology and infrastructure advancements. The renovation of temples, statues, roads and other things is what the Indian government is focusing on. Infrastructural advancements like Vande Bharat trains, metro extensions and the construction of highways and expressways have made life easy for the common man. In the long list of infrastructures, there is a new addition to the Gorakhpur-Siliguri expressway. Here are all the details about this new addition and why constructing it is one of the best decisions.
Gorakhpur-Siliguri Expressway
The National Highways Authority Of India is set on constructing a four-lane highway connecting Gorakhpur and Siliguri. The land acquisition started in May 2022 and is going on at a rapid pace. Moreover, this expressway will start from Uttar Pradesh, end in West Bengal and cover nine of Bihar’s districts. Its total length is almost 520 kilometres.
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The construction of this expressway, also called the Greenfield expressway, is under the Bharatmala Pariyojana Phase 2. And it will run parallel to Nepal’s border. The first eighty-four kilometres in Uttar Pradesh will cover Deoria, Kushinagar and Gorakhpur districts. Whereas the next 416 kilometres, the expressway will cover Bihar’s districts, including Sheohar, East Champaran, West Champaran, Madhubani, Darbhanga, Supaul, Sitamarhi, Kishanganj, and Forbesganj. In West Bengal, the expressway will travel through Darjeeling and Siliguri.
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Work In Progress
The recent update on expressway construction is that land acquisition is still an ongoing process in these three states. Moreover, the estimated construction expenditure is nearly ₹32,000 crores. Also, the tender for its construction will be announced after eighty per cent of the land acquisition process is complete. There is no other direct way that connects Gorakhpur and Siliguri. This expressway would be the first one. And it will reduce the time taken to travel this distance from fifteen hours to nearly six hours.
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