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PM Modi Inaugurates Delhi-Katra Expressway Stretch

UPSC / SSC current affairs note · Economy

InfrastructureEconomy

Why in news

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated a new stretch of the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway, which will significantly reduce travel time between Delhi and Katra, a key pilgrimage site for Mata Vaishno Devi. The expressway is expected to boost tourism and economic development in the region.

Background

The Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway is a 667-km greenfield project aimed at providing high-speed connectivity between the national capital and the holy town of Katra in Jammu and Kashmir. It is being developed at an estimated cost of around Rs 38,905 crore.

Key facts

in5points
  1. The newly inaugurated stretch is part of the 667-km Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway.

  2. The expressway is being developed at an estimated cost of around Rs 38,905 crore.

  3. It connects four states: Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, and Jammu and Kashmir.

  4. The expressway will reduce travel time between Delhi and Katra significantly.

  5. It is expected to boost tourism, especially for Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrims.

  6. The project is a greenfield expressway, meaning it is built on a new alignment.

  7. It is part of the government's Bharatmala Pariyojana for highway development.

Prelims pointers

  • Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway
  • Bharatmala Pariyojana
  • Greenfield expressway
  • Cost: Rs 38,905 crore
  • Length: 667 km
  • States: Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir
  • Katra: base camp for Mata Vaishno Devi shrine

Mains angles

  • Discuss the role of expressways in regional economic integration and tourism development.
  • Critically examine the challenges in implementing large-scale infrastructure projects in India.
  • Analyze the impact of the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway on the socio-economic development of Jammu and Kashmir.