The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the development of a 43.218 km Link/Connector Corridor along the Varuna River Bank in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. The project will be implemented by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) under the Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM) at a total capital cost of ₹10,998.32 crore, which includes civil construction cost of ₹4,565.33 crore and land acquisition cost of ₹934.91 crore.
The project comprises a predominantly elevated 6/4-lane corridor including main carriageway, flyovers, loops, ramps and service roads. It is designed for an operating speed of 80-100 km/h and forms a major component of the Varanasi Decongestion Plan. The corridor will provide seamless connectivity between NH-31 and Kashi Railway Station, significantly improving access to Varanasi Ring Road, Varanasi Airport, multiple railway stations (Varanasi City, Varanasi Junction, Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction), Ramnagar Port, Sampurnanand Sanskrit University, the ghats of Varanasi, and the adjoining Chandauli region.
The project will reduce travel time between NH-31 and Kashi Railway Station from approximately 40 minutes to 20 minutes, representing a 50% reduction. It will decongest the city's road network, improve road safety, reduce vehicle operating costs, and facilitate faster, uninterrupted movement of both passenger and freight traffic.
From a regional development perspective, the corridor will strengthen connectivity to one Economic Node (Chandauli Social Economic Zone), one Social Node (Chandauli) and six major Logistics Nodes. This enhances multimodal integration in line with the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan and will facilitate efficient movement of agricultural produce, industrial goods, construction materials and minerals, thereby improving logistics efficiency and supporting sustainable economic growth across eastern Uttar Pradesh.