LUCKNOW, Sept. 30 -- Uttar Pradesh public works department (UPPWD) has intensified its efforts to fill the potholes across the road network under the department and aims to complete the work before festivals begin, when residents in large numbers take road trips back home. Chief minister in a recent review meeting had directed officials to speed up road repair work in the state and finish the work before festivals. Of the total target of filling potholes on 47967 kms of road under PWD, the department has completed work upon 11848 kms (25%). "We are increasing the pace of work everyday and before festivals we shall get the entire stretch completed. The focus was to first finish work on roads near religious places," said head of department and engineer-in-chief (development) Ashok Diwedi. According to the data updated till September 25, UP PWD has 515.21-kms of national highway also to fill potholes and 493.21-kms have been completed which is 96% of the target. There are various departments that have been assigned the task of filling potholes, including NHAI, Mandi Parishad, Panchayatiraj, Irrigation Department, Rural development, urban development, housing and urban planning, industrial development. The target is to complete the work before festivals as chief minister Yogi Adityanath had in a recent review meeting had directed officials to complete the work upon potholes before festivals. NHAi in west and east UP stretch has completed work (100%). It worked at 52.80-kms in west UP and 173.07-kms in east UP. Mandi Parishad has completed 69% work, while Uttar Pradesh Rural Road Development Agency has completed 65% work and the irrigation department has completed only 14% work, with 125-kms stretch done against a target of 8362.06-kms, according to the data. "Pace of work is increasing every day as post monsoon work of road repair can easily be given speed. We hope the target will be completed soon," said the official....