NEW DELHI: UP has launched a drive to fill up potholes on as many as 11,107 roads within 40 days, with the Yogi Adityanath government allotting nearly Rs 1,400 crore for the work. The state government earmarked the money on May 6. The work has to be completed by June 15, that is before the onset of monsoon rains in the state, as per the target fixed by the chief minister.The Lucknow zone, which includes the state capital and surrounding districts, has emerged as the region with the largest number of potholed roads at 1,632. Faizabad, Allahabad, Azamgarh, Agra and Gorakhpur come in next on the list, official orders seen by ET show. These six zones also come on top for getting the money budgeted for the repair job. The condition of roads seems to be comparatively better in the Jhansi and Moradabad zones.A survey carried out by the UP Public Works Department for a month had found potholes on 85,943 kilometres, or about a third, of roads in the state. The CM ordered that a strict watch be kept to ensure that only good-quality material is used to repair the roads and that construction is video-graphed in the presence of a prominent public representative.“The CM noted that UP’s image has taken a beating as roads are potholed as soon as a person crosses over into UP from other states. He wants UP’s roads to be of better construction quality than roads of adjoining states,” said the minutes of a recent review meeting held by CM.The CM and other ministers are expected to conduct surprise checks at locations where the repair work is being carried out. The state is also setting up a UP Road Construction Corporation to carry out construction works in future on the lines of the system in Madhya Pradesh.