Preparations are underway for work to start on an expressway between Bareilly and Haldwani, which would improve connectivity between Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Officials are reportedly beginning the demarcation of the land for the project, an important first step before land acquisition and construction work.
The toll expressway is likely to give a quick and seamless connectivity to the commuters from western Uttar Pradesh to the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand. Haldwani, popularly known as the Gateway of Kumaon, serves as an important transit hub for tourists travelling towards the famous hill stations like Nainital, Bhimtal, Mukteshwar and Almora.
Currently, many of the roads are very congested and often experience delays, particularly during festivals and weekends or during peak tourist seasons. The new corridor is expected to save a lot of time in the future, and, more importantly, enhance traffic safety by taking vehicles off the congested roads.
As per reports, the project can be expanded later to link Moradabad in the future, thus making a bigger transportation network in western Uttar Pradesh. This is not just for the tourist, but traders, transport operators, logistics and goods movement businesses as well.
The officials involved in the planning process are in the process of identifying and marking the land needed for the expressway route. Following demarcation, the project is likely to proceed with detailed surveys, the development of a Detailed Project Report (DPR), environmental clearance, and land acquisition processes.
Apart from this, the expressway plan is being considered as Uttar Pradesh’s infrastructure plan and in recent years, the state has been focusing on expressway and highway developments. The government has already constructed several key corridors, including Purvanchal Expressway, Bundelkhand Expressway and the Ganga Expressway (under construction).
The enhanced road connectivity between UP and Uttarakhand, experts say, will boost tourism and the development of the region’s economy to a great extent. More efficient transport and benefits for local businesses in towns along the corridor will be expected, as will an increase in weekend tourism as a result of the increased speed of traffic.
The project is expected to ease congestion on the road and improve access to important commercial and tourist centres, which is welcomed by the residents and business owners in the area. But clarity on land acquisition and compensation policies is also awaited in some communities.
The project is expected to be completed towards the end of 2023. Although the exact alignment and schedule for the Bareilly-Haldwani expressway have not been officially announced yet, the demarcation work has begun, indicating that the project is making good progress.
