New government can change fortunes of development schemes like highways, airports, transport, power and tourism that Mayawati proposed or initiated
An impending change of guard in Uttar Pradesh from Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) to the Samajwadi Party, which is poised to form the next government in the state, looks set have bearing on several infrastructure and development projects that are either underway or were proposed during the outgoing regime.
These projects mainly pertain to infrastructure development such as highways, airports, transport, power and tourism.
The total outlay on these projects totals to over Rs 1,50,000 crore.
The most prominent of these projects are three expressways — the Ganga Expressway (Rs 30,000 crore), Yamuna Expressway (Rs 10,000 crore) and the Upper Ganga Canal Expressway (Rs 9,000 crore).
SP spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary told Business Standard that the new government would review all major projects of the previous regime for probity and transparency.
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The major projects, the progress of which would largely depend upon SP policies, include:
* Yamuna Expressway — The 165-km link between Greater Noida and Agra is nearing completion. Jaypee Group is the concessionaire of the project. First conceptualised in 2002, Yamuna Expressway was originally estimated to cost Rs 3,000 crore.
* Ganga Expressway— This Ballia-Greater Noida mega project of 1,047 km, originally estimated at Rs 30,000 crore, is yet to be accorded a central environment clearance, while it had been facing land acquisition challenges since the very beginning. It was also awarded to Jaypee and the alignment process by the concessionaire was nearing completion, when the Allahabad High Court ordered for the environment clearance.
* Upper Ganga Canal— This 212-km project is also awaiting the final environment clearance by the Centre, and is proposed from Greater Noida to Purkazi near the UP-Uttarakhand border. There are no land acquisition hurdles here, as the state irrigation department owns all the necessary land for the access-controlled UGC.
* Power projects — The 1,980-Mw and 1,320-Mw thermal power plants at Bara and Karchhna in Allahabad district also awarded to Jaypee had witnessed rough weather over land acquisition. There are power projects totalling about 15,000 Mw, and entailing investment of over Rs 1,00,000 crore for which the government had signed MoUs with private companies. Besides, the government was also targeting Rs 10,000 crore private investment in the power distribution sector.
* International airport at Kushinagar — The proposed international airport in Kushinagar district had although received the environment clearance by the Centre, some other central clearances are still to come by for this Rs 750 crore project. The proposed airport aims at connecting the Buddhist Circuit.
* Sugar sector — In the sugar sector, the state government had privatised 21 sugar mills of the UP State Sugar Corporation Limited (UPSSCL) and proposed to privatise most of 24 federation units.
The privatisation of UPSSCL mills was later challenged in the high court.
* Re-development of state highways — The re-development of state highways is underway and at least four had been handed over to private developers. The entire project estimated at Rs 12,500 crore spanning 19 such highways totalling a distance of 2,300 km.
* Lucknow Metro — The dream of Lucknow Metro project entailing about Rs 10,000 crore outlay is also stuck over financing mode to be adopted. Similar metros were also proposed for major towns of UP, including Kanpur. DMRC is the consultant for Lucknow Metro, and had already submitted its DPR.
* Privatisation/leading of tourism properties — Mayawati regime had put out its 78 properties for lease agreements or management contracts. If that had materialised, a minimum investment to the tune of Rs 200 crore is likely to flow in the tourism sector.
However, the project was put in cold storage due to impending assembly poll and stiff opposition of employees.