Lucknow, April 4 (IANS): Two highways that connect Lucknow with Kanpur and Ayodhya will soon be resurfaced by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).

After the repair works, 100 mm of bitumen will be laid over the existing highways.

While the quality of the Lucknow-Kanpur highway has deteriorated over the years due to lack of maintenance, the Lucknow-Ayodhya highway offers a bumpy ride to vehicle owners as random repairs and patching works have resulted in inconsistent thickness of the carriageway.

Both the works would be completed before the onset of monsoon.

Saurabh Chaurasiya, director of NHAI’s Lucknow project implementation unit, said the tenders have been awarded to the agencies and contractors have been asked to begin the resurfacing work within a fortnight.

A budget of Rs 100 crore has been set aside for the complete overhaul and repair of the 47 km-long stretch between Bani and Jajmau Ganga bridge on the Lucknow-Kanpur route. A total of Rs 350 crore would have to be infused to refurbish the 120-km-long Polytechnic to Ayodhya National Highway.

NHAI is also working on setting up a greenfield expressway between Lucknow, Unnao and Kanpur, which would boost connectivity to the Trans-Ganga city.

“As barricades and heavy machines are already deputed to carry out the expressway work, for now, we have decided to repair the Bani to Jajmau stretch. Post monsoon, the remaining portion of the highway would be taken up,” he said.

In another development, the agency which would widen the Barabanki-Rupaidiha national highway has also been shortlisted.

A budget of more than Rs 3,000 crore would be required for land acquisition and widening of the 160-km-long road stretch which would act as the key route for movement of heavy motor vehicles between Bahraich and Nepalganj (in Nepal).