Kolkata–Varanasi Expressway Project Receives Environmental Clearance Recommendation

The proposed ₹9,250 crore Kolkata–Varanasi Expressway project has moved a major step forward after an expert panel of the Environment Ministry recommended the grant of environmental clearance (EC) for the project.

The 235-km greenfield expressway stretch in West Bengal is part of a larger connectivity corridor being developed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). The project is expected to significantly improve road connectivity between Kolkata and northern India while boosting logistics and freight movement across eastern India.

According to reports, the expressway will pass through the districts of Purulia, Bankura, Paschim Medinipur, Hooghly, and Howrah. The project is expected to play an important role in improving industrial connectivity and supporting economic growth across several regions of Bengal.

Large-scale infrastructure projects like these are often seen as long-term growth drivers as they help reduce travel time, improve supply chain efficiency, and attract investment opportunities around emerging industrial and logistics hubs.

At the same time, the project has also brought environmental concerns into focus. Parts of the proposed corridor will pass through forest and wildlife-sensitive areas, including a tiger landscape. The project will reportedly require diversion of more than 103 hectares of reserved and protected forest land and the cutting of thousands of trees in both forest and non-forest areas.

To reduce ecological impact and ensure safer wildlife movement, NHAI has proposed the construction of 20 elephant-cum-wildlife underpasses along the route.

As Bengal continues strengthening its infrastructure ecosystem, projects focused on connectivity and logistics are expected to play a major role in shaping the state’s economic future.