UP clears ₹8,585-crore Jewar-link Expressway to connect Noida airport, Ganga E-way

The Uttar Pradesh Cabinet on Tuesday approved the construction of a ₹8,585.51-crore, 74.467-km greenfield Jewar-link Expressway that will connect the Noida International Airport at Jewar with the Ganga Expressway through Bulandshahr.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath chaired the Cabinet meeting, which cleared the six-lane access-controlled corridor, designed to be expanded to eight lanes in the future. The project will be executed under the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) model, with the state government expected to begin the bidding process shortly. Officials said the expressway would significantly cut travel time to Bulandshahr, Ghaziabad and adjoining regions.

Regional development authority gets nod

The Cabinet also approved the creation of the Prayagraj-Chitrakoot Kshetriya Vikas Pradhikaran to ensure planned and integrated urban development across Prayagraj and neighbouring districts, including Chitrakoot, Fatehpur, Banda, Kaushambi and Hamirpur. The proposed authority will oversee coordinated infrastructure planning and balanced regional growth across the six districts.

Nomadic welfare board approved

In another major decision, the state government sanctioned the establishment of a Nomadic Development Board to improve the socio-economic conditions of nomadic and semi-nomadic communities. The board will identify eligible beneficiary groups, monitor the implementation of Central welfare schemes, prepare a comprehensive database and address local issues through district-level committees headed by district magistrates. A state-level committee overseeing the initiative will function under the chairmanship of the Social Welfare Minister.

Vishwakarma scheme expanded

The Cabinet also approved an expansion of the Vishwakarma Shram Samman Yojana 2.0 by adding 14 new occupations, taking the total number of covered trades to 25. The newly added traditional occupations include sculptor, garland-maker, milkman, grain roaster and fisherman. Modern trades such as mobile phone repair, automobile servicing, computer and electronic goods repair, plumbing, solar panel installation, digital photography, beautification and wellness have also been incorporated into the scheme.

Training and toolkit support

Under the revised programme, beneficiaries will continue to receive 10 days of skill development training, while every trainee will be provided with a toolkit worth up to ₹15,000 to help them establish or strengthen their livelihood.