Six-lane metaled road along Kukrail nullah soon.

Construction of a six-lane metaled road alongside Kukrail nullah from near UPTRON Chauraha (Samta Mulak Crossing) to Ring Road near Khurram Nagar has finally picked up pace. The 5.2km long road cum railway overbridge (ROB) project was completed in bits and pieces due to two land stretches coming in the way of Defence rifle range. Army had raised objections over construction in their rifle range.

After being stalled for over 3 years, the project gained momentum in February, 2015 when Lucknow MP and Union home minister Rajnath Singh wrote to defence minister Manohar Parrikar to give operational NOC to complete the project on Defence land. A local representative of the home minister's camp said, 'In a recent development, defence minister has sought report from Central Command, Lucknow regarding operational NOC for the project.'

The project was sanctioned by then state government in 2009 to ease commuting hassles and travel time by almost 20-30 minutes from Ring Road and adjacent colonies—Vikasnagar, Sitapur Road, Kursi Road, Jankipuram, Sarvodaya Nagar, Khurram Nagar, etc up to Hazratganj and Gomtinagar. PWD is the nodal agency for executing this project. A senior PWD official said, 'Normally, we see long traffic bottlenecks at Munshipulia and Polytechnic Chouraha due to most people taking that route to reach Hazratganj/Gomtinagar. After the road is ready, the jams would reduce significantly.'

Since the project comprises an ROB, UP State Bridge Corporation was also roped in to make a bridge above the Badshahnagar railway line. Out of total 5.2 km distance, road length was 4km while the ROB was 1.2km long. In last 6 years, PWD could complete 2.6 km of road while Bridge Corporation was able to complete 70% of the ROB (about 700 metre).

The project got stuck at two points—near Trans-Gomti Rifle Range (about 660 metre long) and the Kukrail Rifle Range (of 1.2 km) when army raised objections to construction in their lands. With Lucknow MP and state government—both pursuing this project with Defence Ministry, officials are hoping to get the operational NOC soon.

Though initially Defence was asked to transfer the land to PWD, but when army raised objections, the department had to settle with an operational NOC for construction work. The local representative said, 'Rajnath Singh is expected to meet Parrikar again next week to take the project further.'

Times of India.