- It will start from Varanasi Ring Road in Chandauli district and meet NH-16 near Uluberia in Bengal’s Howrah district.
- The project was approved in 2019 and Prime Minister Narendra Modi had laid the foundation stone in February 2024.
About the Project:
- It is an eight-lane, 686‑km-long expressway built under the Bharatmala Pariyojana, with the project being implemented by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI).
- This e-way will reduce the road journey between Chandauli and Kolkata to six hours from the current duration of 13-14 hours.
- It will also propel development in eastern UP along with the now operational Purvanchal Expressway.
- Regional Coverage: The expressway will pass through four states – UP, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal.
- Significance of E-way:
- Fostering Industrial Growth: The expressway will enhance the transportation of goods from Jharkhand’s mineral belt, Bokaro Steel Plant, and Dhanbad’s coal mines to Kolkata and Haldia Port, boosting exports and industrial growth.
- Tourism Boost: It will improve access to numerous natural and religious tourist destinations in Jharkhand, western West Bengal, and Eastern UP, areas previously underserved due to poor road connectivity.
- Enhanced Connectivity: Connecting Varanasi and Kolkata, the expressway will also link Delhi, Rajasthan, and Jammu & Kashmir via the Purvanchal Expressway, Agra-Lucknow Expressway, and Yamuna Expressway.
