Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday declared that the state has shed its “Bimaru” (sick) image and has emerged as a hub of development, led by a surge in expressway infrastructure. Inaugurating the 91.35 km Gorakhpur Link Expressway in Azamgarh, CM Yogi said the state is now firmly on track to contribute to the vision of ‘Viksit Bharat’ (Developed India) by 2047.
Highlighting the state’s transformation, CM Yogi said, “Eight years ago, people were afraid to even mention the name Azamgarh. Today, it stands connected to Gorakhpur via expressways and is fast becoming a symbol of growth.”
He lauded the progress made under the BJP’s “double engine government,” noting that six major expressway projects have been completed under his tenure, in contrast to the incomplete state of the Agra-Lucknow Expressway under the previous government.
“The Agra-Lucknow Expressway was only half-completed earlier. Now, the 340-km Purvanchal Expressway is done, the 300-km Bundelkhand Expressway is operational, and we’re expanding connectivity all the way to Patna. Soon, travel from Patna to Delhi via Lucknow will be seamless,” Yogi said.
Drawing a historical analogy, the Chief Minister invoked 1857 freedom fighter Veer Kunwar Singh, suggesting that better infrastructure like today’s expressways could have even changed the course of India’s independence struggle.
“If the Purvanchal Expressway had existed in 1857, Kunwar Singh and the people of Azamgarh might have defeated the British then and there,” he remarked.
CM Yogi also praised Azamgarh MP and BJP leader Dinesh Lal Yadav ‘Nirahua’ for his contributions, including the approval of a music college in Hariharpur. He took aim at the opposition, accusing them of ignoring the region’s cultural heritage while allegedly turning Azamgarh into a “stronghold of terror.”
“Those who ruled earlier didn’t have the time to recognise the artistry of Azamgarh—the black pottery, the sarees, the musical legacy. Today, all of it is being honoured and developed,” Yogi added.
With the new expressway and associated projects, Yogi positioned Uttar Pradesh as a model of rapid infrastructure-led development, distancing it from its earlier image and aligning it with the broader national goals of economic progress and connectivity.