UP govt seeks new agreement from JP Associates on highway

LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh government today said it has sought fresh agreement from Jai Prakash Associates on the Ganga Express Highway between Ballia and Noida, but could not specify whether it was keen to start the project or not.

The issue was taken up in the Legislative Assembly when Congress member Akhilesh Pratap Singh asked the ruling Samajwadi Party, which had opposed the project in previous BSP regime, whether it would initiate the project.

Initially, minister Shiv Pratap Yadav said the matter was sub judice and environment clearance was needed for the project, but later said the JP group has been asked for a fresh agreement.

"We have sought a fresh agreement from JP group," the minister said.

When he was asked by Singh to reply in 'yes or no' terms on whether the government was keen to start the project, the minister said anything could be further said only after going through the new agreement after the government gets it.

JP associates was selected as the developer of the highway by Mayawati regime but the High Court in its order said land acquisition for the project should be done only after environmental clearance, which the project did not have.