Elevated Ganga Corridor Approved to Transform Varanasi’s Urban Mobility

In a cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a 46.039‑km, six‑lane elevated corridor along the Ganga was approved, targeting chronic traffic snarls in Varanasi. The project, costing ₹14,447.64 crore, will be funded through a hybrid annuity model, with the bulk of the budget earmarked for civil works and land acquisition. Features include a cable‑stayed bridge spanning 910 metres, an extradosed foot‑over‑bridge equipped with travellators, loop ramps, and a dedicated service road network. The corridor aims to provide uninterrupted connectivity between NH‑19 and the Varanasi Ring Road, reducing travel time by roughly two‑thirds and decreasing the NH‑19 to Kashi Station commute by 25 minutes. By linking highways, rail hubs, the airport, and the IWT port, the corridor supports the PM Gati Shakti vision of multimodal integration, while also easing access to major religious and educational sites, enhancing safety, and cutting vehicle emissions.