In line with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanaths vision for planned and sustainable development of Bundelkhand, which has faced decades of neglect, the Uttar Pradesh government is developing the longest solar park on both sides of the Bundelkhand Expressway. This solar park will cover approximately 1,700 hectares and will be developed under the Build, Own and Operate (BOO) model, under the supervision of the Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA). In August of last year, UPEIDA had invited Expressions of Interest for a pre-feasibility study, during which nine organisations made presentations. Among them, M/s Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet submitted a comprehensive report to UPEIDA officials in February this year and the report was recently presented to the chief minister. According to the report, UPEIDA has allocated 1,700 hectares of land for the solar park, located between the main carriageway and the service road along the 296-kilometre Bundelkhand Expressway from Etawah to Chitrakoot. The lands average width is between 15 metres to 20 metres. The solar radiation in this area ranges from 5 to 5.5 kWh per square metre per day. Developing the solar park is estimated to cost over Rs 2,500 crore. There will be provisions in place to allot land to companies on a 25-year lease basis. The solar park being developed on both sides of the Bundelkhand Expressway will be able to produce 450 megawatts of energy, sufficient to meet the needs of approximately one lakh consumers. Along the extensive Bundelkhand Expressway spanning from Etawah to Chitrakoot, efforts are also underway to establish an industrial corridor in Banda and Jalaun. In a significant move towards environmental conservation, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed the planting of over 25,000 saplings of Peepal, Pakad, Banyan, Gular and Neem trees along this expressway. Simultaneously, the Bundelkhand Industrial Development Authority is advancing swiftly in its initiative to develop a new city akin to Noida across approximately 36,000 acres, with a targeted completion by 2028.

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