Cabinet approves Rs 25,000 cr Ganga, Varuna corridors for Varanasi

.NEW DELHI: The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved two major elevated road projects in Varanasi — Ganga Corridor and Varuna Corridor — aimed at easing traffic congestion in the holy city and providing high speed connectivity from two national highways and the Ring Road. The two roads to be built with a design speed of 100 kmph compared to existing roads where vehicles crawl at 20 kmph will cost Rs 25,446 crore.Announcing the decisions, I&B minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the projects are critical considering that the holy city gets more than 15 crore tourists and pilgrims every year. He said these roads will improve connectivity to major religious, educational and cultural landmarks, including Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Namo Ghat, Ramnagar Fort, Ghats of Varan