LUCKNOW: Attacking opposition for questioning Rs 4,000 crore expenditure on organisation of Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj this year, UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath said on Friday that only Rs 1,500 crore was spent on Kumbh while the remaining was invested in improving Prayagraj’s infrastructure.
“Maha Kumbh is not just a religious event but also a major economic driver for UP. How can an investment of Rs 1,500 crore, which is contributing Rs 3 lakh crore to the state’s economy by boosting tourism and trade, be questioned,” he asked.
Attending the inauguration of two major flyover projects in Lucknow with defence minister Rajnath Singh and Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari, the CM thanked the two for ensuring UP’s development.
Stating Lucknow is being developed not only as an aerocity but also as AI hub, Yogi said: “Under the leadership of PM Modi, UP is now equipped with modern facilities, providing every citizen with better infrastructure and public services.”
Under Gadkari, he said, Lucknow got development projects worth over Rs 1,000 crore, including two major national highway projects costing Rs 440 crore and state projects worth nearly Rs 600 crore. He said efforts are being made to develop Lucknow into a metro-level city with world-class infrastructure.
“To accommodate the massive influx of devotees at Maha Kumbh, the state has enhanced connectivity via road, rail, and air. Most devotees are arriving by road. On Mauni Amavasya, a staggering eight crore devotees bathed at the Sangam, and the seamless arrangements ensured zero disruption,” the CM said.
He also requested Gadkari to clear two projects, a new bridge parallel to Shastri Bridge and one over Yamuna river in Prayagraj, like Delhi’s Signature bridge, which were recently approved by the state cabinet. These projects, he said, will facilitate large-scale events like Maha Kumbh and enhance Prayagraj’s overall connectivity.
The CM also praised Rajnath for his significant contribution to UP’s development, especially Lucknow, which he represents in Lok Sabha. He highlighted the defence minister’s crucial role in advancing BrahMos missile manufacturing project under Bharat Dynamics Ltd in Lucknow and bringing major projects to Jhansi, strengthening UP as a defence manufacturing hub under the defence corridor initiative. Yogi said Lucknow was being systematically developed on model of a state capital region.