The Union government is moving ahead with the ₹10,998-crore Varuna Elevated Corridor in Varanasi after Cabinet approval earlier this year.
The 43.218-km corridor will connect NH-31 with the Varanasi Ring Road along the Varuna River. NHAI will develop the project largely as an elevated six- and four-lane road with flyovers, loops, ramps and service roads under the Hybrid Annuity Model.
The stated objective is to decongest existing city roads and create a higher-capacity through route. Because the corridor follows a culturally and environmentally sensitive urban landscape, project execution will also be judged on land, river, heritage and local-access impacts, not only travel time.
