Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed happiness at the way next generation transport infrastructure has grown in the last four years and noted that 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 the government.

The Prime Minister was speaking in Varanasi yesterday 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. He said, connectivity not only improves opportunities, it also strengthens the belief and confidence of the people.

The Prime Minister dedicated to the nation, two important national highways in Varanasi, having a total length of 34 kilometres and constructed at a cost of Rs 1571.95 crore. The 16.55 km Varanasi Ring Road Phase-I has been completed at a cost of Rs 759.36 crore, while the work of 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. This will prove a big relief to the people of Varanasi and to tourists and other visitors to the city.

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. This will reduce travel time, fuel usage and pollution in the area. The Ring Road will provide easier and more convenient access to Sarnath, an important site for Buddhist pilgrimage. These projects will also provide increased employment opportunities, development of small and medium industries and give a boost to economic development in the area.

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. PM also received the country’s first container consignment to be sent on an inland waterways vessel. This consignment containing cargo of the food and beverage company Pepsico set sail from Kolkata in the last week of October.