Lucknow, Jan 20 (IANS): The Uttar Pradesh government on Tuesday asked district magistrates of the 10 districts where the Samajwadi Poorvanchal Expressway, connecting the state capital to Ballia, would pass to fast track work on the ambitious project.

In a video-conferencing with officials, Chief Secretary Alok Ranjan said the district magistrates concerned should ensure sale deeds of unorganized land on the alignment of project on the basis of mutual consent with land owners on priority.

He instructed the officials concerned to nominate revenue officials for the work of UP Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA) in all the districts - Lucknow, Barabanki, Amethi, Sultanpur, Faizabad, Ambedkar Nagar, Azamgarh, Mau, Ghazipur and Ballia - involved

The Samajwadi Poorvanchal Expressway would be approximately 348.10 km long and 120 metres wide.

A service road had also been proposed on the expressway.

Once completed, travel time between Lucknow and Ballia would be reduced to about four and a half hours and farmers would be able to ferry and sell their products at reasonable price in major markets, UPEIDA CEO Navneet Sehgal told IANS.

Instructions have also been issued for shifting of government buildings and installations located on the alignment. These include schools, health centres, panchayat bhawans, hand-pumps, tube-wells and power lines. The necessary purchases are to be completed in the next 10 months.