LUCKNOW, June 10 -- To ease chronic traffic congestion in northern parts of the city, the Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) has started work on widening the 3.37-km Bandha Road connecting Pakka Pul with Sitapur Road. LDA vice-chairman Prathamesh Kumar on Tuesday directed officials to complete the Rs 38-crore project by December 2026. Currently, the road is only five metres wide and witnesses heavy traffic movement, resulting in frequent jams, particularly during peak hours. The authority plans to widen the stretch to 15 metres and has already begun earth-filling work at the site. According to LDA officials, project will provide major relief to nearly 10 lakh residents of Khadra, Madeyganj, Faizullaganj, Priyadarshini Yojana and adjoining localities by improving connectivity and reducing travel time. After inspecting site, he instructed engineers to ensure timely completion of work. During another inspection, the vice-chairman approved the development of a swimming pool, an indoor badminton court and a new basketball court at the LDA stadium in Aliganj. The LDA also plans to develop community centre and undertake horticulture works on around 14,800 sq m of vacant land on Kursi Road in Jankipuram. htc...