Ring-road phase-2 proj work to be completed by February 2024

VARANASI: The deadline for the completion of the 27.270 km ring-road phase-2 of Varanasi, earlier fixed as February 2022, has been now extended to February 2024.
The National Highway Authority of India officials have cited many reasons including Covid-19, delay in shifting of Indian Oil Corporation Limited’s pipeline, high tension wires, other utility shifting, flood, change in design of bridge on Ganga and acquisition of land in some patches for the delay in completion of the project.
Talking to TOI on Thursday, divisional commissioner Kaushal Raj Sharma said, “NHAI’s senior authorities were in Varanasi on Wednesday when it was decided to complete the entire project including construction of both lanes of 6-lane bridge on river Ganga by February 2024.”
NHAI’s project director Varanasi RS Yadav said, as per the contract the company engaged for the civil construction of phase-2 package-2 from Sandaha to Revsa in Chandauli district with a budget of Rs 949 crores had to be completed by February 2022. However, it kept missing deadlines despite repeated revision. As the project is on the top of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ambitious projects, the commissioner formed a team to review it and submit a report as per which the pace of project was not up to the prescribed standard.
The NHAI officials said that in 2019-21, the construction company faced financial losses due to Covid-19 following which the NHAI initiated measures to maintain cash flow for cent percent investment of allocated budget for the project. Some patches of land identified for acquisition could not be acquired timely delaying the work, said Yadav.
A major bridge on the Ganga is also being constructed as a part of this project, said Yadav adding, initially total length of bridge on river Ganga was 1,472 meter but with revised plan and profile it was increased up to 1,762 meter, he said adding besides, the stretched spell of rain and flood in 2022 also hurdled the work.
At present all pillars of one 3-lane bridge have been erected while the process of constructing pillars in parallel 3-lane bridge is in progress, said Yadav adding that 40% work of the bridge is complete.
As per the that NHAI officials one 3-lane bridge will be ready for commuting by December end. The commissioner said that he inspect the entire project site next week.
The ring-road project was announced in 2000 by then Atal Bihari Vajpayee government. However, the project saw light of the day after the BJP-led NDA government returned to power in Centre in 2014. The NHAI took up the project on priority and launched its first phase in 2015. Ring-road phase-1 work in 16.55 km area between Harahua on NH-56 and NH-29 had already been completed and inaugurated by the PM in November 2018. In October 2021, PM Modi had inaugurated the ring-road phase-2 package-1 connecting Varanasi-Allahabad (National Highway-2) and Varanasi-Lucknow (NH-6). However, despite beginning with package-1, the work of the package-2 of the project to connect NH-29 with NH-2 in Chandauli could not be completed in scheduled time.