lucknow the 341km long purvanchal expressway connecting lucknow with ghazipur will be inaugurated by prime minister narendra modi on tuesday just months ahead of crucial up assembly elections it would be the longest operational expressway of india overtaking agralucknow expressway which is 301km longpm modi is scheduled to arrive in a c130j super hercules transport aircraft that will land on the 32 km long airstrip constructed on the kurebhar stretch of the access controlled greenfield expressway in sultanpur and will dedicate the project to the people almost three years after laying its foundation on july 14 2018 in azamgarhthe purvanchal expressway project was launched to spur development in the remote east up region that has lagged in infrastructure and industrialisationexperts said the expressway could give bjp an advantage over its political rivals in the eastern up region that also comprises pm modis parliamentary constituency of varanasi and cm yogis political backyard gorakhpurstarting from village chand sarai on lucknowsultanpur road nh731 in lucknow the expressway passes through seven districts barabanki amethi sultanpur ayodhya ambedkar nagar azamgarh and mau before ending at village haidariya on national highway no19 in ghazipur just 18 km away from upbihar borderthe expressway has been the dream project of the state government and cm yogi adityanath the project was completed in record time despite severe restrictions caused by the covid pandemic said up expressway and industrial development authority upeida ceo awanish awasthi on the eve of the inaugurationall the preparations for the inauguration by the prime minister have been completed he added cm yogi on monday had an inspection of the site of the inauguration ceremonythe inauguration will also witness the landing of fighter aircraft on the 32 km long and 34 mt wide emergency air strip at sultanpurconstructed at an estimated cost of rs 22496 crore including the land cost the expressway has eight packages upeida officials said the tenders received were around 519 less than the estimated cost resulting in a profit of around rs 614 crore to the authoritythe sixlane expressway expandable up to eight lanes has 18 flyovers seven railway overbridges robs and 271 underpasses according to a upeida document the work of setting up eight toilet blocks and four petrol pumps is in progress in the event of an accident a total of 16 ambulances two each in every package will be available for quick assistance and speedy transport of the injured to the nearest hospitalthe expressway will provide the much needed connectivity from the east up region to the state capital and then to delhi through lucknowagra expressway and yamuna expresswaythe state government also plans to set up 21 industrial points in the hinterland of the expressway in an area of 9171 hectares the state government has identified handloom industry food processing units storage plants mandi and milkbased industries for the purpose opportunities will also be available for establishment of industrial training institute educational and training institutes medical institutes along the expressway