Speed Post News Network
New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 12, 2018, said that Varanasi and the whole country are witness to the fulfilment of a dream today. Expressing happiness over the way next generation transport infrastructure has grown in the last four years, he said airports in remote areas, train network expanding to the north eastern parts of the country, and a grand network of roads even in rural areas is now the identity of his government.
The Prime Minister was speaking at Varanasi, UP, at two events to launch a series of national highways, inland waterways and sewerage infrastructure projects in the city today. Dedicating the inland waterways multi modal terminal on river Ganga to the nation, he said the project will reconnect us to our glorious past and link Eastern Uttar Pradesh to the North Eastern parts of the country. He also said that the modern road between Babatpur airport and Varanasi will attract tourists from all parts of the country. The Ring Road built at a cost of Rs 760 crore will ease the traffic in the city.
Speaking on the occasion, Union Minister for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Road Transport & Highways and Shipping Nitin Gadkari said that work is on for ensuring enough draught in River Ganga from its origin in Gangotri to its last point in Gangasagar in West Bengal. He said during the forthcoming Kumbh, ferries will run between Varanasi and Prayagraj. In a recent examination of water quality at 80 places on Ganga, water was found pure at 55 sites.
The Prime Minister dedicated to the nation, two important national highways in Varanasi, having a total length of 34 km and constructed at a cost of Rs 1,571.95 crore. The 16.55 km Varanasi Ring Road Phase-I has been completed at a cost of Rs 759.36 crore, while the four-laning and construction of 17.25 km Babatput-Varanasi road on NH-56 has cost Rs 812.59 crore. The Babatpur Airport highway links Varanasi to the airport and goes on to Jaunpur, Sultanpur and Lucknow. With a flyover at Harhua and an ROB at Tarna, the road will reduce the travel time from Varanasi to the airport.
The Ring Road, with two ROBs and a flyover, will provide a way for traffic on NH 56 (Lucknow-Varanasi), NH 233 (Azamgarh-Varanasi), NH 29 (Gorakhpur-Varanasi ) and Ayodhya – Varanasi highways to bypass Varanasi city, thereby reducing traffic congestion in the city. The Ring Road will provide easier and more convenient access to Sarnath, an important site for Buddhist pilgrimage.
The Prime Minister also dedicated to the nation an inland waterways terminal on river Ganga in Varanasi. This is the first of the four multi modal terminals being constructed on NW-I (River Ganga) as part of the World Bank aided Jal Marg Vikas project of the Inland Waterways Authority of India. The other three terminals are under construction at Sahibganj, Haldia and Gazipur. The project would enable commercial navigation of vessels with capacity of 1500-2,000 DWT on river Ganga.
Modi also dedicated to the nation three sewage infrastructure projects costing Rs 425.41 crore for the city of Varanasi and laid the foundation stone for another project. The first is a 140 MLD Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) at Dinapur built at a cost of Rs 235.53 Crore. The second project includes three sewage pumping stations at Chaukaghat (140 MLD), Phulwaria (7.6 MLD) and Saraiya (3.7 MLD). The third project is the construction of 28 km long relieving trunk sewer, rising mains and interceptor sewers along Varuna & Assi at a cost of Rs 155.87 crore. The also PM laid the foundation stone for Sewerage Management Scheme for Ramnagar, according to a PIB release.