Uttar Pradesh received a major infrastructure fillip on Wednesday as the Union Cabinet approved projects worth about Rs 25,000 crore, including a Rs 10,998.32-crore elevated corridor for Varanasi.
According to an official statement, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the construction of a 43.2-km, 6/4-lane elevated link corridor connecting NH-31 with the Varanasi Ring Road along the Varuna river.
The project will be developed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) under the Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM).
The corridor forms a key part of the Varanasi Decongestion Plan and is designed to improve connectivity between NH-31, Kashi Railway Station, the Varanasi Ring Road, Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport, Varanasi Junction, Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction, Ramnagar Port and the city's iconic ghats.
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The government said the access-controlled corridor, designed for speeds of 80-100 kmph, will cut travel time between NH-31 and Kashi Railway Station to about 20 minutes from the current 40 minutes, while easing traffic congestion, improving road safety and lowering vehicle operating costs.
The project, with a total capital cost of Rs 10,998.32 crore, includes Rs 4,565.33 crore towards civil construction and Rs 934.91 crore for land acquisition.
The government said the corridor will also improve connectivity to the Chandauli Social Economic Zone, six logistics hubs and other key economic and transport nodes, supporting multimodal connectivity under the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan.
It added that the project is expected to boost freight movement, tourism and regional economic activity across eastern Uttar Pradesh.
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