Central and Uttar Pradesh ministers held a review of major national highway and connectivity projects as part of a drive to accelerate construction and improve safety. The meeting included senior officials of the ministry of road transport and highways, the National Highways Authority of India and state agencies and examined routes linking Ayodhya, Jewar, Sonauli, Prayagraj and the state's western and eastern regions. Ministers asked officials to expedite land acquisition, forest clearances, utility shifting and statutory approvals to meet timeframes. Officials reported that since 2014, 10,204 km of national highway projects have been awarded and 9,329 km completed, with 606 km sanctioned and 1,010 km finished between April 2025 and May 2026. The Centre has invested nearly Rs 1.94 tn in national highways across the state, including Rs 234.45 bn in 2025-26, and officials said improved Centre–state coordination is evident. Ministers emphasised that all projects should incorporate safety measures, black-spot remediation and modern signage. The review covered major schemes such as the Mathura-Bareilly-Sitarganj four-lane corridor, the Agra-Aligarh project, the Agra-Gwalior-Jhansi-Nagpur Economic Corridor, the Kanpur Ring Road and six-lane access to Noida International Airport at Jewar, as well as a proposed 742 km Shamli-Gorakhpur access-controlled route. Special focus was placed on routes tied to religious tourism, with progress noted on the Ram Van Gaman Marg, Ram Janaki Marg and the 84 Kosi Parikrama Marg to improve pilgrim access to Ayodhya and neighbouring sites. Officials also reviewed the Sonauli-Gorakhpur four-lane project, the Ghazipur-Ballia-Bihar border highway, the Prayagraj Southern Ring Road and plans for DPRs on Ayodhya-Gonda and Rewa-Ranchi corridors. The state sought Centre support for a North-South Corridor intended to promote balanced regional development and discussed ring roads and bypasses in several districts. Ten national highway projects covering about 267 km are under tender and work on three further projects is expected to start shortly, supporting trade, tourism and employment.