Varanasi: Heavy traffic load, especially of vehicles carrying pilgrims, will ease on Varanasi roads in a couple of years as Prime Minister Narendra Modi has gifted two elevlated roads worth Rs 25,000 crore to his constituency.A meeting of cabinet committee on economic affairs, chaired by PM Modi in New Delhi, gave its approval to a six-lane Greenfield Elevated Corridor & Ramps/Loops & Foot Over Bridge between National Highway-19 (Varanasi-Prayagraj) and Varanasi Ring Road project worth Rs 14,447.64 crore and 6/4 lane Elevated Corridor project along Varuna bank worth Rs 10,998.32 crore.Providing details of both the projects on Wednesday, divisional commissioner S Rajalingam and officials of National Highway Authority of India said in view of 15 crore tourists and pilgrims visiting Varanasi every year, these projects, aligned with the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan, aim at improving connectivity to major religious, educational and cultural landmarks, including the Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Banaras Hindu University, Namo Ghat, Ramnagar Fort, the Ghats of Varanasi, besides Banaras Railway Station and airport road.The projects will substantially reduce congestion on the existing network of city roads. By linking important economic, social and logistics nodes, the project will improve logistics efficiency, enhance road safety, facilitate tourism and pilgrimage, and support sustainable regional economic growth across eastern UP.Both projects will not only improve transportation efficiency, but also enhance the city’s urban landscape, creating an iconic addition to Varanasi’s skyline and reinforce its position as one of India’s foremost religious and cultural destinations, the officials said.A 46.039 km corridor between Chandauli-Varanasi-Prayagraj National Highway-19 (NH-19) and Ring Road covering areas along the Ganga will be developed at a cost of Rs 14,447.64 crore. This project comprises a six-lane elevated main carriageway, an iconic cable-stayed bridge, an extradosed foot overbridge-cum-major bridge, loops, ramps, link roads and service roads. It will be implemented under the hybrid annuity model (HAM) at a total capital cost of Rs.14,447.64 crore, including a civil construction cost of Rs.6,037.85 crore and a land acquisition cost of Rs.541.11 crore.The corridor is a major component of the Varanasi Decongestion Plan. The project will provide seamless connectivity between NH-19 and the Varanasi Ring Road, significantly decongesting the city’s road network and improving urban mobility.Designed for an operating speed of 80-100 km/h, it is expected to reduce the average travel time across the project influence area from 60 minutes to 20 minutes, representing a reduction of nearly 67%. Travel time between NH-19 and Banaras Railway Station will be reduced from 50 minutes to about 25 minutes. Designed for an operating speed of 80-100 km/h, the project will reduce travel time between NH-31 and Kashi Railway Station from approximately 40 minutes to 20 minutes.The project will improve road safety through controlled-access movement, reduce vehicle operating costs and emissions, enhance travel reliability and facilitate efficient movement of passenger and freight traffic. It will also decongest NH-19, the BHU-Ramnagar Corridor and NH-35 by diverting through traffic away from the densely developed urban core.The project will also strengthen regional connectivity by improving access to one Economic Node (Chandauli Social Economic Zone), one Social Node (Chandauli) and six major Logistics Nodes, thereby enhancing multimodal integration. It will facilitate efficient movement of agricultural produce, industrial goods, construction materials and minerals, improving logistics efficiency and supporting sustainable economic growth across eastern UP.
