New Delhi, July 15: Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on Wednesday, approving the construction of a 43.218 km link corridor connecting NH-31 and the Varanasi Ring Road along the banks of the Varuna River. This initiative aims to reduce congestion in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.
The project features a predominantly elevated corridor with 6/4 lanes, including a main carriageway, flyovers, loops, ramps, and service roads. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will implement it under the Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM) at a total capital cost of ₹10,998.32 crores, which includes ₹4,565.33 crores for civil construction and ₹934.91 crores for land acquisition.
In a post on the social media platform X, PM Modi expressed the government’s commitment to enhancing the accessibility of Baba Vishwanath’s temple in Varanasi through improved connectivity in Uttar Pradesh. He stated that the approval of the 6/4-lane elevated corridor along the Varuna River would serve as a model for culturally significant cities and ease the lives of local residents through infrastructure development.
This corridor is a significant part of the Varanasi Decongestion Plan, providing seamless connectivity between NH-31 and Kashi Railway Station. It will notably improve access to the Varanasi Ring Road, Varanasi Airport, Kashi Railway Station, Varanasi City Railway Station, Varanasi Junction, Deen Dayal Upadhyay Junction, Ramnagar Port, Sampurnanand Sanskrit University, and the ghats of Varanasi, as well as the surrounding Chandauli area.
Designed for operational speeds of 80–100 km/h, this project will reduce travel time between NH-31 and Kashi Railway Station from approximately 40 minutes to 20 minutes, achieving a nearly 50% reduction. This will significantly decrease congestion on the city’s road network, enhance road safety, lower driving costs, and facilitate faster, uninterrupted traffic for both passenger and freight trains.
Moreover, the project will strengthen regional connectivity by improving access to an economic node (Chandauli Social Economic Zone), a social node (Chandauli), and six major logistics nodes. This aligns with the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan to enhance multimodal integration. It will streamline the movement of agricultural products, industrial goods, construction materials, and mineral components, improving logistics efficiency and supporting sustainable economic development in Eastern Uttar Pradesh.
Overall, this project will create a modern, access-controlled urban transport corridor that will enhance connectivity, strengthen multimodal transport integration, promote tourism and economic growth, and improve the quality of life for residents and visitors in Varanasi.
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