Lucknow: The Varanasi-Kolkata expressway project has received another major boost after securing fresh environmental clearance from the Union environment ministry, paving the way for faster progress on the ambitious high-speed corridor linking eastern Uttar Pradesh with West Bengal.The 601-km expressway, the foundation of which was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Feb 2024, is expected to significantly reduce travel time between Varanasi and Kolkata from the current 12 to 13 hours to around six to seven hours.The route passes through key towns in Bihar and Jharkhand and is being developed as an access-controlled corridor.According to officials, the Expert Appraisal Committee has granted approval to the National Highways Authority of India for construction on a stretch of more than 200 km covering parts of Jharkhand and West Bengal. This clearance is expected to accelerate work on pending sections of the project.In UP, commuters will be able to access the expressway from Revasa village, located at the junction of the Varanasi Ring Road and National Highway 19. From there, the corridor will connect travellers to Bhabhua in Bihar’s Kaimur district via Chandauli.The first package of the project in Uttar Pradesh spans 27 km in Chandauli district and runs parallel to the historic Grand Trunk Road. A senior NHAI officer associated with the Varanasi project implementation unit said that 38% of civil work on this stretch has already been completed.The officer said a Gurgaon-based construction company was awarded the contract two years ago for the section between the Varanasi Ring Road and Chandauli.Construction began a year ago, and the remaining work on this portion is expected to be completed by Dec 31. Work on other sections is also set to gather pace.
