Overview
- The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved the two projects on Wednesday, setting a combined capital cost of about Rs 25,446 crore and assigning delivery to the National Highways Authority of India.
- The Varuna Elevated Corridor is a 43.218 km mostly 4/6‑lane link between NH‑31 and the Varanasi Ring Road with a budget of Rs 10,998.32 crore and planned ramps, loops and service roads.
- The Ganga Elevated Corridor is a 46.039 km six‑lane route between NH‑19 and the Ring Road budgeted at Rs 14,447.64 crore and will include a 910 m cable‑stayed bridge plus a 1.32 km extradosed footbridge with travelators to improve pedestrian access.
- Government statements say the corridors, designed for 80–100 km/h, will sharply cut travel times (examples cited: NH‑31 to Kashi Railway Station from ~40 to 20 minutes and area averages from ~60 to ~20 minutes) and ease city congestion.
- Next steps are land acquisition, HAM procurement and contractor mobilisation under the Hybrid Annuity Model, with local officials estimating about three years for Varuna and five years for Ganga while environmental, heritage and resettlement clearances were not detailed.