Lucknow, Aug 10 (UNI) Extending the deadline from Diwali this year to January 2021, Uttar Pradesh government has said that 52 per cent of the work of the 340-kilometre long Purvanchal Expressway has been completed.

The announcement was made by UP Expressway and Industrial Development Authority(UPEIDA) CEO and Additional chief secretary home Awanish Awasthi here on Sunday night.

He said that 52 per cent of the work has been completed and by the end of August, it will go up to 56 per cent.
The Expressway, being built in 8 packages under EPC from Lucknow to Ghazipur connecting the Lucknow -Agra expressway, is likely to be completed by January next, Mr Awasthi said.
When completed, vehicles from Ghazipur will take around 7 to 8 hrs to reach Noida.
Mr Awasthi who made an on-spot inspection of the project said that the bridge on river Gomti is being constructed in a faster pace while the construction companies have been asked to speed up the construction of ROBs and other bridges.

The flagship Purvanchal Expressway, estimated to cost Rs 23,000 crore, was being constructed through 8 different packages by five private companies, namely, Gayatri Projects, PNC Infratech, GR Infra Project, Apco Infratech and Oriental Structural Engineering.
The Expressway will traverse 9 districts viz Lucknow, Barabanki, Faizabad, Ambedkarnagar, Amethi, Sultanpur, Azamgarh, Mau and Ghazipur.
Purvanchal Expressway will provide seamless connectivity between the backward Eastern UP districts to the National Capital Region (NCR) via the already operational Agra-Lucknow Expressway and Agra-Greater Noida Yamuna Expressway.

It will also have an emergency airstrip for Indian Air Force jets at Kurebhar (Sultanpur). Currently, Agra-Lucknow Expressway has a 3.3-km-long runway at Unnao for allowing landing and takeoff to IAF fighter planes during an emergency.
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