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Over the last decade, the reigns of Uttar Pradesh have changed hands between the Samajwadi Party and the Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).
The change of guards has resulted in mega-development projects getting scrapped and stalled or modified, in line with the whims of the political master of the day. For some years, the state government has shared stormy relations with the Centre, which ensured that projects either moved at snail's pace or hit a dead end.
As a result, only two big projects have seen the light of day in the last 10 years. These are Reliance Power's 1,200-Mw Roja thermal power plant in Shahjahanpur district and the 165-km Yamuna Expressway between Agra and Greater Noida.
Yamuna Expressway took 10 years from conceptualisation to completion, entailing investment of Rs 12,000 crore by concessionaire Jaypee Infratech. It was initially estimated at Rs 3,000 crore when first conceptualised in 2002.
Even as the incumbent Akhilesh Yadav regime targets growth of 8.5 per cent and investment of Rs 16.70 lakh crore during the current 12th Plan (2012-17), there are big-ticket infrastructure projects that have failed to take off even after years of conceptualisation and groundwork.
The notable projects are Ganga Expressway Project (GEP) proposed from Ballia to Greater Noida estimated at Rs 30,000 crore; Lucknow Industrial Development Authority (LIDA); international airports in Kushinagar and National Capital Region (NCR); and Lucknow Metro.
The proposed 1,047 km long 8-lane access controlled GEP was planned during the previous Mayawati regime. The project was awarded to the Jaypee Group after bidding and the preliminary alignment process was underway. However, the project ran into trouble soon after the state government notified villages for land acquisition.
The work on the mega project came to a halt on May 29, 2009, when Allahabad High Court asked UP to secure clearance from the central environment ministry. The Samajwadi Party, then in opposition in UP, had also opposed the project tooth and nail.
However, the Akhilesh government informed UP assembly on March 14, 2013 that it had solicited fresh proposal from concessionaire Jai Prakash Associates Limited on the Ganga Expressway Project (GEP).
LIDA was conceptualised during the earlier Mulayam Singh Yadav regime as an industrial and services hub to rival NCR.
However, sluggish progress was made under the Mayawati rule, although her government had planned to acquire 2,000 acres along the Lucknow-Unnao highway in first phase. It also faced land acquisition hurdles from landowners.
Now, an IT Park has been proposed in LIDA at an estimated cost of Rs 285 crore spread over 1,30,000 square metre area near Lucknow airport. LIDA is in the process of increasing its land bank through acquisition.
The proposed international airport at the Buddhist tourist destination of Kushingar in eastern UP has been waiting in wings for years. The much awaited airport to be built on public private partnership (PPP) model is now estimated to cost Rs 354.
This year, 15 companies had participated in the Request for Qualification (RfQ) process, of which 14 have qualified for the Request for Proposal (RfP) stage.
The earlier bidding process in 2010 during Mayawati regime had come to a naught due to rather stringent conditions set for the proposed airport. The bidding process did not move beyond the RfQ stage although four reputed infrastructure companies viz. GMR, GVK, L&T and Gammon India were in fray.
Only after UP tweaked bidding conditions for a 'plain vanilla' airport proposed to cost Rs 354 crore vis-à-vis an aviation hub estimated at Rs 850 crore earlier, the bidding process was undertaken afresh.
The Mayawati government had planned an aviation hub at Jewar in Gautam Budh Nagar district to attract long haul flights and boost regional economic development. However, the central approval never came around. After coming to power, the Akhilesh government scrapped the proposal and in stead proposed an international airport at either Mathura or Agra, since both are major tourist destinations.
Following delays, Lucknow Metro Rail is now estimated to cost over Rs 12,000 crore with the routes and financing details still being worked out. Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) is the consultant for Lucknow Metro project.
World Bank and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) have evinced interest in the project and offered financial assistance. On May 13, JICA officials met state chief secretary Jawed Usmani.
