New Delhi, 28 April (H.S.): Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Uttar Pradesh on April 28–29, 2026, during which he will launch a wide array of infrastructure and social‑development initiatives in Varanasi and Hardoi, including the inauguration of the Ganga Expressway and multiple urban and rural projects valued at over ₹12,650 crore. Over the two days, he will inaugurate completed schemes worth about ₹6,350 crore and lay the foundation stones for new projects of similar magnitude, reinforcing the state’s economic and connectivity transformation.

Varanasi: flagship development push

On April 28, at around 5:00 p.m., the Prime Minister will attend a large‑scale Mahila Sammelan (Women’s Conclave) in Varanasi, where he will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for various development projects worth approximately ₹6,350 crore. The event will also feature his address to an audience of thousands of women, underscoring the government’s focus on women‑centric development.

He will dedicate to the nation over 48 completed projects worth more than ₹1,050 crore, including the four‑lane widening of the Varanasi–Azamgarh road, the inauguration of major railway over‑bridges at Kajjakpura and Kadiapur, and the launch of a 55‑million‑litres‑per‑day (MLD) sewage treatment plant at Bhagwanpur to improve urban sanitation and water quality.

Rural welfare and urban amenities

Under the Jal Jeevan Mission, the Prime Minister will inaugurate 30 rural drinking‑water schemes, bringing piped water supply to more villages and enhancing basic living standards. He will also unveil projects such as the redevelopment and beautification of Chandrawati Ghat, tourism‑oriented development of the Sarangnath Temple complex near Sarnath, and the aesthetic upgradation of Sant Ravidas Park.

In the domain of sports and social infrastructure, the beneficiaries include a synthetic hockey turf at Uttar Pradesh College, a 100‑bedded old‑age home in Ramnagar, and a one‑megawatt solar power plant at the Bhelupur Water Treatment Plant—aimed at cutting energy costs and promoting green energy in essential public utilities.

New projects and urban regeneration

The Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone for some 112 projects valued at over ₹5,300 crore. These include 13 sewerage and water‑supply schemes under AMRUT 2.0, a 500‑bed super‑specialty hospital at the Shri Shiv Prasad Gupta Divisional District Hospital, and the construction of new market complexes and office complexes at Bhojuveer and Sigra.

The package also covers the renovation and rejuvenation of lakes and ponds, the redevelopment of a 198‑bed hospital, the construction of a 100‑bed critical‑care block, and tourism‑oriented upgrades at key ghats such as Assi Ghat, Dashashwamedh Ghat, and Namo Ghat—strengthening Varanasi’s appeal as a religious, cultural, and medical tourism hub.

Rail and tourism‑connectivity initiatives

In the railways sector, the Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone for the third and fourth railway lines between Varanasi Junction and Pt. Deendayal Upadhyaya Junction, including the construction of a rail‑cum‑road bridge across the Ganges. This will ease rail traffic congestion and enhance multimodal connectivity in the region.

He will also flag off two new Amrit Bharat Express trains—Varanasi–Pune and Ayodhya–Mumbai—strengthening high‑speed rail links between Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra and improving pilgrimage and tourism connectivity.

Ganga Expressway inauguration in Hardoi

On April 29, at around 8:30 a.m., the Prime Minister will visit the Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi for darshan and puja, before flying to Hardoi. There, at approximately 11:30 a.m., he will inaugurate the Ganga Expressway.

The Ganga Expressway is a 594‑kilometre, six‑lane (expandable to eight lanes) greenfield, access‑controlled expressway, built at an estimated cost of about ₹36,230 crore. It will connect Meerut to Prayagraj, spanning 12 districts, and reduce travel time between the two endpoints from roughly 10–12 hours to around six hours.

Strategic and economic significance

The expressway includes a 3.5‑kilometre emergency airstrip at Shahjahanpur, which is being viewed as a significant asset for national security and rapid deployment. Along the corridor, industrial and logistics nodes are being developed, with thousands of acres of land earmarked for manufacturing, warehousing, and logistics parks.

State authorities project that this corridor will attract investments of over ₹47,000 crore and generate substantial employment, reinforcing Uttar Pradesh’s role as a key manufacturing and logistics hub in northern India. The Ganga Expressway is also being positioned as a critical spine of the state’s broader expressway network, integrating east–west and north–south corridors and accelerating inclusive regional development.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar