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The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the construction of a six-lane greenfield elevated corridor linking National Highway-19 (NH-19) with the Varanasi Ring Road in Uttar Pradesh, at an estimated cost of ₹14,447.64 crore. The 46-km project aims to cut travel time across the city from 60 minutes to 20 minutes by providing direct connectivity between NH-19 and the ring road through a new riverbank corridor along the Ganga, marking one of the largest urban infrastructure investments approved for Varanasi in recent years.
What the Project Involves
The 46.039-km project will be implemented under the Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM) and includes a six-lane elevated main carriageway, an iconic cable-stayed bridge, an extradosed foot-over-bridge-cum-major bridge, loops, ramps, link roads, and service roads. The approved project cost includes a civil construction cost of ₹6,037.85 crore, excluding GST but including utility shifting, along with a land acquisition cost of ₹541.11 crore. The mix of structural elements from the cable-stayed bridge to the dedicated pedestrian crossing reflects an attempt to combine heavy-traffic capacity with improved pilgrim and tourist access in a single corridor.
- Total estimated cost: ₹14,447.64 crore
- Corridor length: 46.039 km
- Implementation model: Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM)
- Civil construction cost: ₹6,037.85 crore (excluding GST, including utility shifting)
- Land acquisition cost: ₹541.11 crore
- Operating speed: 80-100 kmph
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How It Will Cut Travel Times
The government said the corridor is designed for operating speeds of 80-100 kmph and is expected to reduce average travel time across the project's influence area from around 60 minutes to 20 minutes. Travel time between NH-19 and Kashi Railway Station is projected to fall from about 50 minutes to 25 minutes, easing one of the city's most congested travel routes. An elevated spur connecting BHU/Lanka and Samne Ghat is also expected to ease pressure at the busy Lanka Junction by separating long-distance through traffic from local city traffic.
Boosting Connectivity to Key Landmarks
The project is also expected to improve connectivity to key transport hubs, including Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport, railway stations, and the Ramnagar Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) port. It will further improve access to major religious and tourist destinations such as the Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Banaras Hindu University, Namo Ghat, Ramnagar Fort, and the Ghats of Varanasi sites that together draw more than 15 crore tourists and pilgrims to the city every year.
Why This Matters for Varanasi
By creating a dedicated riverbank corridor along the Ganga, the project is designed to ease pressure on Varanasi's existing, heavily congested road network while giving pilgrims, tourists, and residents faster access to the city's most visited religious and cultural sites. The corridor is aligned with the broader PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan, which aims to strengthen multimodal connectivity across the country. With implementation planned under the Hybrid Annuity Model, the project represents a significant step toward supporting both daily mobility and Varanasi's continued growth as a pilgrimage and tourism hub.
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