'One of the biggest…': New Indian Railways rail-road bridge over river Ganga in Varanasi approved by Cabinet

New Indian Railways bridge in Varanasi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Union Cabinet has approved a new rail-cum-road bridge in Varanasi over river Ganga. According to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw , the new rail-road bridge will be ‘one of the biggest’ in terms of transport capacity.

The new road bridge in Varanasi will have four railway lines and a six lane highway. The new bridge will be designed for a lifespan of 150 years and will be over one kilometre long. Vaishnaw said that given the complexity of the bridge structure, it will take around four years to complete it.

The new bridge will save diesel imports of about 8 crore litres per year, which translates into a saving of about Rs 638 crore per year.

The Malviya bridge , situated in Kashi, is a crucial railway bridge that spans the Ganga river , linking the Northern, Eastern, and Western states of India. This rail-cum-road bridge, which is approximately 137 years old, consists of two rail lines and two road lanes.

Due to the bridge's age and the oversaturation of the route between Varanasi and DDU, which currently stands at 163%, there is a pressing need to replace the Malviya bridge to ensure efficient and safe transportation across the region, Vaishnaw said.