Commuting from Lucknow to Delhi will soon be faster, safer and free from traffic congestion.

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is set to begin four-laning and strengthening of the Sitapur-Bareilly section of National Highway-24 in Uttar Pradesh.

The project received the Centre’s approval last week.

The 152-km stretch will be widened from two to four-lane at a cost of Rs 1,026 crore.

According to NHAI authorities, the tender process has already been initiated and work will begin from January 2010.

“The contract for Sitapur-Bareilly section, a part of National Highways Development Project Phase-III, will be given on design-built-finance and operate basis,” said Ashutosh Gautam, Project Director of NHAI, UP unit.

Mumbai-based STUPS Consultants has been entrusted with the task to prepare the Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the project.

“The DPR will be completed in the next two months and by then, a developer will be appointed to begin construction,” Gautam said. The developer will three years to complete the stretch.

On the 502-km highway between Lucknow and Delhi, road widening is already being conducted on three sections — Lucknow-Sitapur, Bareilly-Moradabad and Moradabad-Delhi.

According to the NHAI authorities, work is almost complete in the Bareilly-Moradabad and Moradabad-Delhi sections. Four-laning of Lucknow-Sitapur (76-km) section is also in progress.