The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved the construction of the 46.039-km Ganga Elevated Corridor in Varanasi at an estimated cost of ₹14,447.64 crore. The project will create a high-speed corridor connecting National Highway-19 (NH-19) with the Varanasi Ring Road (NH-135B) while improving connectivity along the Ganga riverfront.
The corridor will be developed under the Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM) and is expected to significantly improve urban mobility, reduce travel time, and strengthen transport links across Varanasi.
The total project cost includes ₹6,037.85 crore for civil construction, excluding GST but including utility shifting, and ₹541.11 crore for land acquisition under the National Highways programme.
Designed as a six-lane elevated corridor, the project will include loops, ramps, link roads, and service roads to facilitate seamless traffic movement. One of its major engineering features is a 910-metre cable-stayed bridge across the River Ganga. It will also feature a 1.32-km extradosed Foot Over Bridge-cum-Major Bridge equipped with travelators to improve pedestrian access to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple. In addition, a Rail Over Bridge will be constructed over the existing and proposed Malviya Bridge.
The project will incorporate emergency parking bays, noise barriers, façade lighting, and architectural elements reflecting Varanasi’s cultural heritage.
Designed for operating speeds of 80-100 kmph, the corridor is expected to reduce average travel time across its influence area from around 60 minutes to 20 minutes, while the journey between NH-19 and Kashi Railway Station is expected to be reduced from approximately 50 minutes to 25 minutes.
The elevated corridor is also expected to ease congestion on NH-19, the BHU-Ramnagar corridor, NH-35, and major junctions such as Lanka. It has been planned under the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan to improve connectivity to key transport hubs, including Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport, Kashi Railway Station, Banaras Railway Station, Varanasi City Railway Station, Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyay Junction, and the Ramnagar Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) Port. The corridor will also strengthen access to the Chandauli Special Economic Zone and surrounding areas.
