Kanpur: Union road transport minister Nitin Gadkari has approved a 414km expressway project costing about Rs 15,000 crore to connect Kota in Rajasthan with Etawah in Uttar Pradesh via Madhya Pradesh, setting out a new road link through the Chambal region.The project, earlier proposed as the Chambal Expressway, has been named the Atal Expressway in honour of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The expressway will start from Simliya in Kota and reach Ninava in Etawah via Sheopur, Sabalgarh, Morena and Bhind in Madhya Pradesh.The total length of the project is 414 kilometres, including 94 kilometres in Rajasthan, 273 kilometres in MP and 47 kilometres in UP.After the construction of the Atal Expressway, Etawah will become the first district in Uttar Pradesh where the Agra-Lucknow Expressway, Bundelkhand Expressway and Atal Expressway will all connect. This is expected to establish Etawah as a major expressway hub of the state and create new possibilities for investment, industry and employment in the region.The Chambal valley was once notorious across the country because of dacoits, but the area is now moving towards becoming a new symbol of development. The expressway is expected to directly benefit remote villages, tribal areas and farmers of the Chambal region. Farmers are expected to be able to transport their produce to major markets, including Delhi and Mumbai, in less time and at lower cost. This is also expected to accelerate industrial development in the border areas of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.The four-lane expressway is also expected to boost tourism, with major destinations such as Ranthambore Tiger Reserve, Kuno National Park and the National Chambal Sanctuary located along its route. Better road connectivity is expected to increase tourist numbers and generate employment for local people.At present, it takes about 12 hours to travel from Kota to Etawah, but after the expressway is built, the journey is expected to take about four hours. The maximum speed of vehicles on this route will be 120 kilometres per hour. In Kota, the expressway will connect with the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, while in Etawah it will link with the Agra-Lucknow and Bundelkhand expressways.Gadkari described the project as an important step towards the development of the Chambal region. The govt’s goal is to promote economic activity through better connectivity and connect backward areas with the mainstream of development.
