Agra-Lucknow E-way opens with Mirage, Sukhoi landing, taking off

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav and rulingSamajwadi Party (SP) president Mulayam Singh Yadavtoday inaugurated the 302-km-long Agra-Lucknow Expressway, which would cut travel time between the two cities by half.

The main feature of the access-controlled greenfield expressway, completed in a record 23 months, is that it has a 3.3-km-long runway in Unnao district, offering landing and takeoff facilities for Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter planes during emergency.

A grand air show featuring six Mirage and Sukhoi figher jets presented a perfect prelude to the inaugural ceremony of the expressway, one of Akhilseh's flagship projects, apart from Lucknow Metro and Lucknow IT City.

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(The 302-km-long access-controlled expressway, completed in a record 23 months, has a 3.3 km runway for IAF jets to land and take off during emergency)

Constructed at a cost of about Rs 15,000 crore, the expressway was inaugurated on the eve of Mulayam’s 78th birthday, as promised by Akhilesh to his father.

The six-lane expressway, which could be extended to eight lanes, traverses 10 districts -- Agra, Firozabad, Mainpuri, Etawah, Auraiya, Kannauj, Kanpur City, Unnao, Hardoi and Lucknow. It would provide seamless connectivity between Lucknow and Agra via the already operational Yamuna Expressway.

Addressing the ceremony at Bangaurmau in Unnao, Akhilesh said the expressway would spur economic activity in the region and pave the way for the ruling SP to return to power in the 2017 UP polls. Akhilesh arrived at the venue aboard his Rath, which has been specially designed for his ‘Samajwadi Vikas Rath Yatra’.Read more.

Rajya Sabha to resume discussion on demonetisation, rocky session ahead for LS

Lok Sabha was adjourned on Wednesday after paying tributes to the members who passed away

(Samajwadi Party members Ramgopal Yadav speaks as CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury shows a Rs 2000 note in the Rajya Sabha on the opening of the winter session of Parliament in New Delhi)

The debate on demonetisation, which was kicked off on the first day of the winter session in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday after suspending all business in response to notices given by a host of opposition members, will continue on Thursday.

During the course of a seven-hour debate, the opposition took on the government, saying the move demonetisation of high currency notes is "ill-conceived", and it had led to an economic anarchy in the country.

The government, however, rejected the allegation, saying the move is in the national interest, and has been hailed by the common man.

The Centre asked the opposition to clear its stand on corruption.

The Lok Sabha was adjourned on Wednesday after paying tributes to the members who passed away.

The Congress and the Trinamool Congress parties have sought an adjournment motion in the Lok Sabha on Thursday for a discussion on the demonetisation issue.

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi exhorted all the opposition parties to cooperate and extend support to the government's crusade against black money and corruption. Read more.