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Cabinet Approves Rs 25,446 Cr Elevated Highway Corridors in Varanasi, Railway Doubling/Quadrupling in Odisha & Jharkhand

InfrastructureEconomyPolityHIGH
Target:UPSCMPSCSSC GATeachingPrelims HighMains MediumStatic GK Link
15 Jul 2026
~2 min
Source: Indian Express
Key Data:Rs 25,446 crore43 km corridor46 km corridor910 m cable-stayed bridge1.32 km extradosed foot overbridge74 km doubling
Bodies:Union CabinetMinistry of Road Transport and HighwaysMinistry of RailwaysNHAI
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What This Article Covers

1.Two elevated highway corridors approved under Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM): 43 km Varuna corridor (6/4-lane) and 46 km Ganga corridor (6-lane) with iconic 910 m cable-stayed bridge and 1.32 km extradosed foot overbridge with travelator to Kashi Vishwanath Temple.

2.Travel time in project influence areas to reduce from 60 minutes to about 20 minutes; design speed 80-100 kmph.

3.Railway projects: doubling of Paradeep-Haridaspur line (74 km) and quadrupling of Rajkharsawan-Dangoaposi line (71 km) to boost freight movement of coal, iron ore, dolomite, limestone, gypsum.

The Big Picture
Prelims · HighMains · Medium

Union Cabinet clears Rs 25,446 crore for two elevated highway corridors along Varuna (43 km) and Ganga (46 km) rivers in Varanasi to decongest the city and boost religious tourism. Also approves doubling of 74 km Paradeep-Haridaspur line in Odisha and quadrupling of 71 km Rajkharsawan-Dangoaposi line in Jharkhand to increase freight capacity by 44 mtpa.

Exam Lens

Quick Exam Facts From News

Total Project CostRs 25,446 crore
Varuna Corridor Length43 km
Ganga Corridor Length46 km
Cable-Stayed Bridge Length910 m
Foot Overbridge Length1.32 km (extradosed with travelator)
Travel Time ReductionFrom 60 min to 20 min
Design Speed80-100 kmph
Railway Doubling (Odisha)74 km Paradeep-Haridaspur
Railway Quadrupling (Jharkhand)71 km Rajkharsawan-Dangoaposi
Freight Capacity Increase44 million tonnes per annum (mtpa)
Annual Tourists in Varanasi~15 crore

1-Minute Revision

  • ›Total Project Cost: Rs 25,446 crore
  • ›Varuna Corridor Length: 43 km
  • ›Target this Data: Total cost Rs 25,446 crore; Varuna corridor 43 km, Ganga corridor 46 km; 910 m cable-stayed bridge; 1.32 km foot overbridge; travel time reduction from 60 to 20 min; design speed 80-100 kmph.
  • ›Target this Nodal Body: Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (for highways) and Ministry of Railways (for railway projects). Cabinet approval is by CCEA.
  • ›Target this Legal Point: Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM) – a PPP model used in highway projects.

Mastered this topic? Test your knowledge with a full MCQ quiz.

Practice exam-style questions, track your score, and strengthen your recall.

Q1Static LinkageEasy

Which ministry is primarily responsible for implementing the elevated highway corridors approved by the Cabinet?

Q2Statement-basedHard

Consider the following statements regarding the projects approved by the Cabinet:

1. The Varuna river corridor is 43 km long and will be a 6/4-lane predominantly elevated corridor.

2. The Ganga river corridor includes a 1.32 km cable-stayed bridge.

3. The railway projects will increase freight traffic by 44 million tonnes per annum.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q3Data-centricEasy

What is the total cost of the projects approved by the Union Cabinet for the Varanasi elevated highway corridors?

Q4Application/ImpactMedium

What is the primary objective of the Ganga river elevated corridor project?

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