Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, 29 April inaugurated the Ganga Expressway in Hardoi, Uttar Pradesh, using the occasion to launch a sharp attack on previous state governments and assert that UP — once dismissed as a "bimaru" (backward) state — is now marching towards becoming a one-trillion-dollar economy under the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) double-engine government. The Prime Minister addressed a large public gathering after the inauguration, delivering a wide-ranging speech covering infrastructure, law and order, women's reservation, and opposition politics.

Ganga Expressway: Key Facts

Modi noted that the foundation stone for the Ganga Expressway was laid in December 2021 and the project was completed in under five years. He described it as one of the country's largest expressways and the longest green-corridor expressway in Uttar Pradesh. The Prime Minister also referenced the recently inaugurated Delhi-Dehradun Expressway, framing both projects as "lifelines of Viksit Bharat" and harbingers of India's economic future.

"This expressway is not merely a high-speed road; it serves as a gateway to new possibilities, new avenues, and new opportunities... It will facilitate quicker access to major markets. Essential infrastructure required for agriculture will be developed here, thereby boosting the incomes of our farmers," Modi said.

Attack on Past Governments

Taking direct aim at earlier state administrations, the Prime Minister alleged that infrastructure projects under previous governments were routinely delayed — with files stalled in bureaucratic channels and foundation stones laid solely for electoral optics. "The era when one had to wait for decades just to get a single road built is now a thing of the past," he said, contrasting it with the BJP's record of completing projects within stipulated timeframes.

Modi also criticised what he called a "Jungle Raj" under previous regimes, alleging that crime and lawlessness had come to define UP. "Our Uttar Pradesh is the sacred land of Lord Ram and Lord Krishna. However, previous governments, through their misdeeds, had allowed crime and a state of lawlessness to become the defining characteristics of UP," he said, adding that the state's law and order situation is now "cited as an exemplary model across the entire nation."

UP's Economic Transformation

Emphasising UP's developmental trajectory, Modi said the state — once synonymous with poor roads and administrative neglect — now has the highest number of expressways in the country and boasts 21 airports, including 5 international airports. He noted that the newly inaugurated Noida International Airport is now accessible within a few hours via the Ganga Expressway.

"Uttar Pradesh, once labelled a 'backward' and 'Bimaru' state, is today marching forward with the aim of becoming a one-trillion-dollar economy. This is a monumental goal, but it is backed by equally monumental preparation," he said, adding that the government is leveraging UP's large youth population to transform it into a manufacturing hub.

Samajwadi Party and Women's Reservation

Modi directed sharp criticism at the Samajwadi Party (SP), alleging that its leaders — whom he claimed "were accustomed to dividing the resources among themselves" — are now "unhappy with UP's progress as the power has slipped from their grasp." He accused the SP of seeking to "drag UP back into the dark era of the past" and of being "anti-development" and "anti-women."

Specifically, Modi alleged that the SP voted against the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam (Women's Reservation Bill) in Parliament, which he said would have secured reservations for women in state legislative assemblies and the Lok Sabha from the 2029 elections onwards. He also alleged that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) had objected to provisions that would increase the number of seats allocated to UP, and that the SP had echoed those sentiments in Parliament.

What's Next for UP

With the Ganga Expressway now operational and the Noida International Airport recently inaugurated, the focus shifts to whether the promised agricultural infrastructure along the expressway corridor materialises and whether UP's manufacturing push delivers measurable employment outcomes. The BJP's double-engine government narrative will face its next electoral test in the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.