**Subject: Status Update: Varanasi-Kolkata Expressway and National Highway 81 (NH81) in West Bengal**
This summary provides an update on the Varanasi-Kolkata Expressway project and the ongoing widening work on National Highway 81 (NH81) in West Bengal, as of August 7, 2025.
**Varanasi-Kolkata Expressway:**
The alignment of the Varanasi-Kolkata access-controlled highway in West Bengal, from the Jharkhand-West Bengal border to Bagnan, including a spur route to Kolkata from Bagnan to Bishnupur and Joka to Shirakhole (including the Amtala Bypass), has been approved following consultations with the State Government. Notification under Section 3A of the National Highways Act 1956 has been completed in the districts of Purulia, Bankura, and Hooghly. The bidding process and construction will commence upon completion of the Detailed Project Report (DPR) and approval from the Competent Authority. Revisions to the expressway design based on suggestions from local bodies in Howrah and Hooghly districts were considered during the alignment approval process.
**National Highway 81 (NH81):**
The total length of NH81 in West Bengal is 59.697 km. The current status is as follows:
* **Km 0.000 to Km 19.205:** Already widened to a 2-lane configuration with paved shoulders (2LPS).
* **Km 19.205 to Km 46.550:** Already widened to 2LPS, including the Samsi and Malatipur bypasses, and opened to traffic, with the exception of the Chanchal Bypass.
* **Chanchal Bypass:** Partially completed. The remaining 2.874 km (from Km 32.500 to Km 35.130) has been descoped due to land acquisition issues and local resistance. This section will be addressed once encumbrance-free land is provided by the State Government.
* **Km 46.550 to Km 59.697:** A 13.147 km greenfield alignment is under construction. 9.35 km of this section has been completed to date. The project has experienced delays due to recurrent floods, delays in the supply of pond ash for embankment construction, delays in the closure of a Railway Level Crossing, the closure of the Farakka Barrage in 2018, and the COVID-19 pandemic. The expected completion date for the remaining work is October 31, 2025.
Key Entities Referenced
VaranasiKolkata Expressway: A planned access-controlled highway between Varanasi and Kolkata.
SHRI ARUP CHAKRABORTY: The individual who posed the unstarred question in Lok Sabha.
ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS: The concerned ministry.
SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI: The Minister of Road Transport and Highways.
West Bengal: A state in India where part of the Varanasi-Kolkata Expressway and NH81 are located.
National Highways Act 1956: The relevant legislation under which land acquisition notifications are issued.
NH81: National Highway 81, undergoing widening work and greenfield bypass construction in West Bengal.
Jharkhand: A state sharing border with West Bengal that is part of the Varanasi-Kolkata access Controlled Highway route.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3200
ANSWERED ON 7TH AUGUST, 2025
STATUS OF VARANASI–KOLKATA EXPRESSWAY AND NH-81
3200. SHRI ARUP CHAKRABORTY:
Will the Minister of ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
सड़क परिवहन औि िाजमार्ग मंत्री
be pleased to state:
(a) the updated status of land acquisition, bidding and construction of the
Varanasi–Kolkata Expressway in West Bengal;
(b) whether suggestions from local bodies in Howrah and Hooghly districts
to revise the expressway design for better access have been officially
considered, if so, the details thereof;
(c) the timeline for finalising alignment and initiation of construction in West
Bengal; and
(d) the expected date of completion of ongoing widening work and greenfield
bypasses on National Highway (NH- 81 and the reasons for delay in achieving
full physical progress?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
(SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI)
(a) to (c) The alignment of the Varanasi-Kolkata access Controlled Highway in
the State of West Bengal (from Jharkhand/West Bengal Border to Bagnan along
with a spur route to Kolkata from Bagnan to Bishnupur and Joka to Shirakhole
including Amtala Bypass) has been approved after due process including
consultations with the State Government.Publication of notification under Section 3(A) of National Highways Act
1956 has been completed in the districts of Purulia, Bankura and Hooghly. The
bidding process and construction activity shall be taken up upon completion of
Detailed Project Report (DPR) and approval of the Competent Authority.
(d) Total length of NH-81 in the State of West Bengal is 59.697 km.The
status is as follow:
1. From Km 0.000 to Km 19.205: Already widened to 2-lane with paved
shoulders (2L+PS).
2. From Km 19.205 to Km 46.550: Already widened to 2L+PS, including
two bypasses (Samsi and Malatipur) except 1 bypass (Chanchal bypass)
and opened to traffic. Chanchal Bypass has been partially completed and
the remaining length of 2.874 km (from Km 32.500 to Km 35.130) has
been de-scoped due to land issues and repeated resistance from land
losers. This de-scoped length of Chanchal Bypass shall be taken up after
encumbrance free land is provided by the State Government.
3. From Km 46.550 to Km 59.697: A Greenfield alignment of length
13.147 km is under construction. The project has been delayed due to
recurrent floods during monsoon in past years, delay in supply of pond
ash for embankment construction, delay in closure of Railway Level
Crossing, closure of Farakka Barrage in 2018, COVID-19 pandemic. Till
date, out of the 13.147 km, 9.35 km has been completed. The expected
date of completion for the balance work is 31.10.2025.
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