Modi Cabinet Clears Rs14,447 Crore Ganga Elevated Corridor To Ease Traffic In Varanasi

Published 16 July 2026 · local

Modi Cabinet Clears Rs14,447 Crore Ganga Elevated Corridor To Ease Traffic In Varanasi Published By, Last Updated: July 16, 2026, 15:02 IST Union Cabinet approved

Modi Cabinet Clears Rs14,447 Crore Ganga Elevated Corridor To Ease Traffic In Varanasi Published By, Last Updated: July 16, 2026, 15:02 IST Union Cabinet approved a 46.039-km si lane Greenfield Elevated Corridor in Varanasi, connecting NH-19 with Varanasi Ring Road, costing Rs 14,447.64 crore to ease traffic. The proposed corridor will run parallel to the Ganga and Varuna rivers and include a si lane elevated carriageway. The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the construction of a 46.039-km si lane Greenfield Elevated Corridor connecting Highway-19 with the Varanasi Ring Road in Uttar Pradesh at an estimated cost of ₹14,447.64 crore, aiming to significantly ease traffic congestion and improve connectivity in the temple city. Approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the project will be executed under the Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM) as part of the Highways (Original) programme. The proposed corridor will run parallel to the Ganga and Varuna rivers and include a si lane elevated carriageway, ramps, loops, service roads, a cable-stayed bridge, link roads and a foot overbridge-cum-major bridge. The project has been designed to provide a long-term solution to traffic congestion in Varanasi, which witnesses heavy traffic due to rapid urbanisation and a growing influx of tourists and pilgrims.

The total project cost includes Rs 6,037.85 crore for civil construction, including utility shifting, and Rs 541.11 crore for land acquisition. Designed for speeds of 80-100 kmph, the elevated corridor is expected to substantially reduce travel time across the city. The journey between NH-19 and Kashi Railway Station will come down from around 50 minutes to nearly 25 minutes, while travel across the project stretch is expected to reduce from about an hour to nearly 20 minutes. The project will also include a hanging pedestrian bridge to improve access to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple. The corridor has been planned in line with the PM GatiShakti Master Plan and will strengthen multimodal connectivity by linking major highways with Kashi Railway Station, Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport, the Ramnagar Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) Port and other key transport hubs. The elevated corridor will also improve connectivity to prominent religious, educational and tourist destinations, including the Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Namo Ghat, Ramnagar Fort and several historic ghats across Varanasi. The project is expected to improve logistics efficiency, enhance road safety, facilitate tourism and pilgrimage, and support economic growth across eastern Uttar Pradesh.