Kolkata to Varanasi in just 9-hours with this new expressway

On February 23, PM Modi is set to inaugurate 23 completed projects worth Rs 10,972 crore and lay the foundation stone for 13 new projects costing Rs 3,344 crore, including the Varanasi-Ranchi-Kolkata Expressway Construction Package I. The projects cover a spectrum of developments, including a Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited unit, National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) campus, medical college, and an atomic energy department’s common bio-medical waste disposal facility.

The highlight is the Varanasi-Ranchi-Kolkata Expressway, a six-lane project aimed at reducing the travel time between Varanasi and Kolkata from 15 hours to 9 hours, cutting logistics costs and boosting industrial activity by connecting major cities.

PM Modi will lay the foundation stone for Package I of the Varanasi-Ranchi-Kolkata Expressway, costing Rs 1,317 crore, which includes the construction of a 27-kilometer road with a green belt. The expressway, named NH319B by the National Highways Authority of India, spans 610 kilometers, connecting four districts in Bihar and Jharkhand before entering West Bengal via Purulia district.

The project, estimated at Rs 35,000 crore, is expected to halve the travel time between Varanasi and Kolkata. As part of the Jharkhand Road Construction Department's plan, the expressway will be linked to Ranchi's ring road. Once completed, it is anticipated to stimulate trade activities in Bihar, connecting to an upcoming logistics park in Gaya.