New Delhi: Road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari today, February 27, inaugurated seven National Highway projects worth Rs. 6,500 crore in Uttar Pradesh's Ballia.

Addressing the occasion, Gadkari said with the construction of Ballia Link Expressway it will be feasible to reach Patna from Lucknow through Purvanchal Expressway in just 4.30 hours.

He said Ballia to Buxar can be reached in 30 minutes, Ballia to Chhapra in one hour and Ballia to Patna in one and half hour, adding that  the construction of Greenfield Highway, eastern Uttar Pradesh will get better connectivity with Chhapra, Patna, Buxar in Bihar.

Gadkari further said the vegetables of the farmers of Ballia will be able to reach the mandis of Lucknow, Varanasi and Patna easily. He said vegetable-producing farmers will get direct benefit of 3 multi-modal terminals Varanasi, Ghazipur and Haldia through this expressway. He said with the construction of Saidpur to Mardah road there will be direct connectivity of Mau to Varanasi via Saidpur.

The union minister  said the greenfield road from Chandauli to Mohania being constructed at a cost of Rs130 crore will provide connectivity to Chandauli in Uttar Pradesh and Kaimur district of Bihar through the Delhi-Kolkata GT Road.

He went on to say that  due to better connectivity with other cities of the state economic and social condition of the state will improve and also backward areas of Azamgarh district will get new connectivity. He  also announced the new connectivity route between Ballia-Ara through 28 kilometer greenfield spur road at a cost of 1500 crore.

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