New Delhi, Feb 27 (IANS): Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, on Monday inaugurated seven National Highway projects with an investment of Rs 6500 crore in Ballia, Uttar Pradesh.

Speaking on the occasion, Gadkari said that with the construction of the Ballia Link Expressway, it will be possible to reach Patna from Lucknow through Purvanchal Expressway in just four-and-a-half hours, Ballia to Buxar can be reached in half-an-hour, Ballia to Chhapra in one hour and Ballia to Patna in one-and-a-half hours.

With the construction of the Greenfield Highway, eastern Uttar Pradesh will get better connectivity with Chhapra, Patna and Buxar in Bihar, he added.

The minister also said that vegetables produced by the farmers of Ballia will reach the mandis in Lucknow, Varanasi and Patna easily. The farmers will also get direct benefit of three multimodal terminals Varanasi, Ghazipur and Haldia through this expressway.

Gadkari said the Greenfield road from Chandauli to Mohania being constructed at a cost of Rs 130 crore will provide connectivity to Chandauli in Uttar Pradesh and Kaimur in Bihar through the Delhi-Kolkata GT Road.

He said with the construction of the Saidpur to Mardah road, there will be direct connectivity between Mau and Varanasi via Saidpur.

The minister added that due to better connectivity with other cities of the state, economic and social condition of Uttar Pradesh will also improve, as the backward areas of Azamgarh district will get new connectivity.

Gadkari also announced the new connectivity route between Ballia and Ara through 28 km Greenfield spur road at a cost of Rs 1,500 crore.