Modi in Varanasi today, to launch big infra projects

Lucknow/ Varanasi, Nov. 11: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate two major national highways and an inland waterways project at his parliamentary constituency, Varanasi, on Monday. The two roads have a combined length of 34 km and have been laid at a cost of ` 1,571.95 crore. The 16.55- km Varanasi Ring Road Phase- I has been completed at a cost of ` 759.36 crore, while the four- laning and construction of 17.25- km- long Babatpur- Varanasi Road on NH- 56 has cost ` 812.59 crore, read a statement from the PM’s office. The Babatpur Airport Highway will link Varanasi to the airport and go on to link Jaunpur, Sultanpur and Lucknow. With the flyover at Harhua and a road over bridge ( ROB) at Tarna, the new road plan will reduce travel time from Varanasi to the airport, providing relief to the locals and tourists coming here, the statement said. The Ring Road, with two ROBs and a flyover, is expected to reduce traffic, fuel usage and pollution

on NH 56 ( LucknowVaranasi), NH 233 ( Azamgarh- Varanasi), NH 29 ( GorakhpurVaranasi) and Ayodhya– Varanasi highway, the statement said.

Further, the ring road is expected to provide smooth road access to Sarnath, a renowned Buddhist pilgrimage site.

On the day, at a separate event, the Prime Minister will inaugurate the first multi- modal waterways terminal on the Ganga river as part of the Centre’s Jal Marg Vikas Project which aims

to develop the stretch of the river between Varanasi and Haldia for navigation of large vessels weighing up to 1,500 to 2,000 tonnes, an official statement said.

The objective of the project is to promote inland waterways as a cheap and environment friendly means of transportation, especially for cargo movement. The Inland Waterways Authority of India is the project implementing agency.

National Waterway- 1 (Hal di a-Varanasi stretch) is being developed with technical assistance and investment support from the World Bank. The total estimated cost of the project is ` 5,369.18 crore, which will be shared between the Government of India and the World Bank on a 50: 50 ratio.

The project entails construction of three multimodal terminals ( Varanasi, Sahibganj and Haldia), two intermodal terminals, five roll- on- roll- off ( Ro- Ro) terminal pairs, new navigation lock at Farakka, assured depth dredging, among others.