Prayagraj: Commuters travelling from Prayagraj to Varanasi and other districts of eastern Uttar Pradesh are set to get major relief as state govt has approved the construction of a new four-lane bridge over the Ganga parallel to the existing Shastri Bridge.The long-awaited project is aimed at ending chronic traffic congestion on one of the region’s busiest road corridors.“The proposal has received the approval of chief minister Yogi Adityanath and is now awaiting financial clearance from state govt. If the remaining formalities are completed on schedule, construction is expected to begin by Dec this year. Officials have set a target of completing the project within three years,” said Setu Nigam project manager Rohit Mishra.The project, estimated to cost around Rs 1,500 crore, will involve the construction of a 2,500m-long bridge about 500m north of the existing Shastri Bridge.The new bridge will significantly decongest the existing structure by introducing a one-way traffic system. Vehicles travelling from Prayagraj towards Jhunsi will use the new bridge, while traffic from Jhunsi to Prayagraj will continue to use the existing Shastri Bridge. The arrangement is expected to improve traffic flow and reduce travel time considerably.The existing Shastri Bridge witnesses the movement of over 50,000 vehicles, including heavy and light vehicles, daily. Traffic snarls are common, particularly when a vehicle breaks down on the bridge, often leading to long queues and delays stretching for several kilometres.The project is also expected to enhance connectivity to Jhunsi and several important destinations, including Varanasi, Gorakhpur, Jaunpur, Bhadohi, Bihar and West Bengal, benefiting commuters, transporters and commercial traffic using the route regularly.
