Cabinet Approves ₹25,446 Crore Highway Projects to Transform Connectivity in Varanasi

The Union Cabinet has approved two major highway projects worth ₹25,446 crore to strengthen road infrastructure in Varanasi, with the aim of easing traffic congestion, improving connectivity and supporting the city’s growing tourism and economic activity.

Approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), the projects include the construction of two predominantly elevated highway corridors along the Varuna and Ganga riverbanks. Together, they are expected to significantly improve travel across Varanasi while enhancing links between key transport hubs, religious sites and commercial centres.

The first project involves the development of a 43.2 kilometre elevated corridor connecting National Highway 31 with the Varanasi Ring Road along the Varuna river. To be built by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) under the Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM), the corridor will include flyovers, ramps, loops, service roads and elevated carriageways designed to improve traffic flow across the city.

According to the government, the new route will form an important part of the Varanasi Decongestion Plan. It will provide smoother access to Kashi Railway Station, Varanasi Junction, Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction, Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport, the Ramnagar Inland Port and several major city roads.

Designed for operating speeds of 80 to 100 kmph, the corridor is expected to reduce travel time between NH-31 and Kashi Railway Station from around 40 minutes to about 20 minutes. Faster journeys, lower vehicle operating costs and improved road safety are among the key benefits expected from the project.

The Cabinet also approved a second project worth ₹14,447.64 crore to build a 46.04 kilometre, predominantly six lane elevated corridor connecting National Highway 19 with the Varanasi Ring Road along the Ganga riverbank.

This corridor will feature an elevated main carriageway, an iconic cable stayed bridge, an extradosed bridge with a pedestrian walkway, service roads, ramps and link roads. The project is intended to reduce congestion across Varanasi while creating a faster route between the city’s eastern and western regions.

Once completed, average travel time across the corridor is expected to fall from nearly one hour to around 20 minutes. Travel between NH-19 and Kashi Railway Station is also expected to reduce from about 50 minutes to 25 minutes.

The improved road network will provide better access to major landmarks including the Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Banaras Hindu University, Namo Ghat, Ramnagar Fort and the famous ghats along the Ganga. The government believes this will strengthen tourism, improve urban mobility and support the city’s cultural and economic development.

Both projects also align with the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan by improving multimodal connectivity between highways, railway stations, airports and inland waterways. Better transport links are expected to improve logistics efficiency, encourage investment and strengthen freight movement across eastern Uttar Pradesh.

For the infrastructure sector, these developments represent more than new highways. The projects are expected to create significant demand for steel, cement, engineering services, construction equipment and skilled labour, generating opportunities across the infrastructure value chain.

As Varanasi continues to attract millions of visitors every year, these highway projects are expected to play a key role in supporting future growth. By reducing congestion and improving connectivity, they aim to make one of India’s oldest cities more accessible while strengthening its position as a major religious, cultural and economic hub.