Varanasi: Union minister for road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari will inaugurate two highway projects, a bridge over the Sai river and a bypass road, besides laying the foundation stone for five new road and bridge projects in Mungra Badshahpur in Jaunpur district on Thursday.
The project will benefit Rae Bareli, Pratapgarh and Prayagraj districts and improve connectivity with several key routes, including NH-31 at Civil Lines in Rae Bareli, the Rae Bareli-Pratapgarh-Jaunpur section at Munshiganj, Munshiganj-Dalmau state highway, the Ganga Expressway at Jagatpur and SH-38 between Unchahar and Dalmau, according to details provided by National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). Officials said the four-lane highway has reduced travel time between Lucknow, Rae Bareli and Prayagraj from around 3.5-4 hours to nearly 2.5 hours, resulting in savings in both time and fuel. It also offers an alternative route for vehicles travelling from Lucknow and Rae Bareli towards Varanasi, besides providing a four-lane link between Prayagraj and Ayodhya.
The programme will also mark the commencement of three key works in Jaunpur, including the Mungra Badshahpur bypass, four-laning of a road section in Jaunpur city and the bhoomipujan for a railway overbridge at Mariyahu railway crossing. These projects are expected to ease traffic congestion and strengthen connectivity across the region.