The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), 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 elevated corridor features 6/4 lanes and includes main carriageway, flyovers, loops, ramps, and service roads. It is designed for an operating speed of 80–100 km/h and will connect NH-31 with the Varanasi Ring Road, significantly reducing travel time between NH-31 and Kashi Railway Station from approximately 40 minutes to 20 minutes—a 50% reduction.
The project serves as a major component of the Varanasi Decongestion Plan and will provide seamless connectivity to multiple key locations including Varanasi Airport, Kashi Railway Station, Varanasi City Railway Station, Varanasi Junction, Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction, Ramnagar Port, Sampurnanand Sanskrit University, the ghats of Varanasi, and the adjoining Chandauli region.
Beyond urban decongestion, the corridor will strengthen regional connectivity by improving access 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.