Ayodhya-Varanasi Travel Halved to 2 Hours with New 6-Lane Corridor

• The journey from Ayodhya to Varanasi will be cut from 5 hours to just 2 hours via a new six-lane high-speed access-controlled corridor.
• NHAI has initiated the process to select a consultant agency for the Detailed Project Report (DPR), expected to take 1.5 years.
• The corridor aims to boost religious tourism, regional economic and social development, and improve connectivity to Purvanchal's cultural sites.
• It will establish Kashi-Ayodhya-Chitrakoot triangular connectivity, making travel to religious sites easier and quicker.
• A 67 km ring road, costing 2,500 crore, is also planned by 2027 to further enhance connectivity for Ayodhya, Gonda, and Basti.

Why It Matters: New Ayodhya-Varanasi corridor promises faster travel, boosts tourism and regional development.