LUCKNOW, Jan. 16 -- The Uttar Pradesh Public Works Department (PWD) has proposed a first-of-its-kind North-South corridor project to improve connectivity for 20 districts that rely on link roads to reach major locations across the state. The total length of this North-South corridor is 2,340 km. A detailed presentation of the corridors has been made to the chief minister's office, which has approved six stretches connecting various cities along the North-South corridor, state government officials said on Wednesday. This marks the first time such an initiative has been planned, unlike previous projects where major roads and highways were designed in East-West directions, said officials. The first corridor spans 262 km from Ikauna (Shrawasti) to Prayagraj via Ayodhya and Sultanpur, divided into four parts: Ikauna-Balrampur (25 km), Balrampur-Ayodhya (86 km), Ayodhya-Pratapgarh (93 km), and Pratapgarh-Prayagraj (58 km). The 262-km route will intersect with the proposed Shamli-Gorakhpur highway, Poorvanchal Expressway, and proposed Vindhyan Expressway. The Pratapgarh-Prayagraj stretch is functional, while Ikauna-Balrampur is to be proposed. The remaining two stretches will be proposed under the greenfield six-lane annual work plan 2025-26. The second is the Kushinagar-Deoria-Dohrighat-Gazipur-Zamania corridor covering 220 km, including 35 km of Kushinagar-Deoria, 22 km of Deoria-Dohrighat, 83 km of Dohrighat-Gazipur, and 80 km of Ghazipur-Varanasi. The last two stretches are functional, while the PWD will propose Kushinagar-Deoria and Deoria-Dohrighat stretches. The third corridor runs 295 km from Pipri (Indo-Nepal border) to Prayagraj via Bansi (Siddharthnagar), comprising six segments. This corridor will intersect the Shamli-Gorakhpur expressway, Poorvanchal Expressway, and Vindhyan Expressway. The fourth corridor is the 502-km Lakhimpur-Sitapur-Nawabganj-Banda route, including seven segments. The Lakhimpur-Sitapur and Unnao-Choudagra stretches are already four-lane, while the remaining sections are to be proposed. The fifth corridor covers 547 km from Bareilly to Lalitpur via Agra and Jhansi. The Bareilly-Kasganj-Agra stretch (216 km) has been awarded for construction and upgradation, while the Agra-Jhansi (234 km) and Jhansi-Lalitpur (97 km) stretches are already four-lane. The sixth corridor spans 514 km from Mustafabad (Pilibhit Tiger Reserve) to Harpalpur via Shahjahanpur and Orai. The 32-km Mustafabad-Puranpur stretch is to be proposed, along with Puranpur-Powayan (81 km), Powayan-Shahjahanpur (29 km), and Shahjahanpur-Munder (56 km). The Munder-Farrukhabad-Orai stretch will be developed in two segments of 92 km and 125 km via the proposed Farukhabad Link between Ganga Expressway and Agra-Lucknow Expressway and via Bundelkhand Expressway. The Orai-Rath (54 km) and Rath-Harpalpur (45 km) stretches are already four-lane....