Union minister Gadkari has laid the foundation stone for widening of the 61.19 km long national highway between Meerut and Bulandshahr, which will be converted from the existing two-lane NH-235 to four-lane NH-334.

The project, worth Rs 868.77 crore, will be completed within two and half years.

The widening project, once complete, will reduce the time needed to travel between Meerut and Bulandhsahr from 90 minutes to 50. The highway comprises 11 major junctions, 66 minor junctions, three vehicular underpasses, five pedestrian underpasses, nine minor bridges, a major bridge and a rail overbridge.

Gadkari also announced that four highways connected to Bulandhshahr will be converted into national highways in a Rs 200 crore project, for which work will be started with immediate effect. The four highways include Bulandshahr-Dibai, Bulandshahr-Jewar, Bulandshahr-Syana and Mathura-Bareilly via Hathras state highways. Work on widening them will also start very soon.