UP government to construct an overbridge near Mayawati's residence

New Delhi: The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to construct an overbridge near the residence of former chief minister Mayawati's Mall Avenue locality in Lucknow which was allotted to her in the capacity of former chief minister residence. The overbridge will also pass in front of the Bahujan Samaj Party office.

To be built at a cost of Rs 40 crore between Loreto Convent crossroad and Telibagh in Lucknow, the construction of the over bridge will begin soon. The Samajwadi Party during its earlier rule had decided to construct the over bridge, but the BSP government of Mayawati had cancelled the project after assuming power in 2007.

The announcement was made by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday while presenting a Rs 2,21,201.19 crore annual state budget for 2013-14 in which he has made a provision of Rs 40 crore for the rail overbridge.

Taking exception to the proposal to build a railway overbridge on the road outside its party headquarters, the BSP described the move as "politically motivated".

"The government should first worry about the traffic jam on Vikramaditya Marg before thinking about the Loreto Convent-Telibagh route (on the road facing the BSP office). If they fail to do so it would mean they have wrong intentions for which they would have to pay a heavy price later," BSP Swami Prasad Maurya said.

"If there is really a need to ease traffic, an overbridge should first come up on Vikramaditya Marg which has the residence of Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav as well as the SP office," Maurya, who is also the leader of opposition, said.

Aiming to strike a balance between completing the works promised in the ruling party's election manifesto and populist measures with an eye on the coming Lok Sabha polls, Akhilesh Yadav presented the budget on Tuesday in which no new tax has been proposed. The Budget makes a provision of Rs 7,787,80 crore for 219 new schemes and also earmarks Rs 26,641 crore for further development of infrastructure facilities like roads, bridges and power.

The Budget allocation proposed for the next fiscal is 10 per cent higher than for the current financial year. For fulfilling ruling party's election promise like loan waiver scheme for farmers, a provision of Rs 750 crore has been made while another Rs 200 crore has been allocated for free irrigation for farmers and Rs 375 crore for farmers accident scheme, among otheRs

In his Budget speech, Yadav who also holds the Finance Ministry portfolio, said against the assurance of providing loan to farmers at 4 per cent interest, the government was making it available at 3 per cent as short term loan.

He said a sum of Rs 1200 crore have been earmarked for unemployment allowance and Rs 350 crore for "hamari beti uska kal yojna" for 10th pass girl students from minority community.

With regard to fulfilment of another promise, the Budget earmarks Rs 600 crore for distributing two sarees each to all women above 18 years of age of the BPL families and blankets for those above 65 years of age and Rs 400 crore for providing battery for solar energy run rickshaws.

(With additional information from PTI)