TOI Dialogues Varanasi | ‘Big projects have transformed Varanasi in a big way in 10 years’

Kashi has seen several big-ticket projects taking shape in the last decade. In fact, the city, which will soon have the country’s only ropeway as a mode of commuting for people, has changed so much that people who visit the city end up reacting in surprise, according to experts.
“I do not think any other city can match up to the scale and size when it comes to the amount of civil work that has taken place in Kashi in the past 10 years,” said vice-chairman of the Varanasi Development Authority, Pulkit Garg.
He was speaking at a session on ‘Impact of developing infrastructure on Varanasi’ at the TOI Dialogues.
“The capacity of the airport is being increased to handle up to 1 crore flyers in a year from the present 50 lakh. Multiple sewage treatment plants have become operational to recycle the water before it enters Ganga. We have tied up with the IIT BHU to rejuvenate Assi and Varun tributaries. The objective is to decongest the roads within the core city area and improve the ease of living for residents,” he added.
Chief medical officer, Varanasi, Sandeep Chaudhary said that it was an achievement to bring down the neonatal mortality rate within single digit in the city under the Sankalp initiative. “We are continuously working to increase medical facilities and bring help to people’s doorsteps. Similarly, setting up mini nutrition rehabilitation centres for children is another area we are focusing on,” he said.
Entrepreneurs and prominent businessmen from the city too pitched in with their opinion during the session which was focused on discussing the impact of developing infrastructure in the city.
Chairman of Sunbeam Group of educational institutions and CMD DHK Eduserve Ltd, Deepak Madhok said, “In the past 10 years, 150 new CBSE schools have come up in the region. Varanasi is becoming a hub of education for not only Varanasi and adjoining districts, but for families from neighbouring states too. The development that has taken place over the past 10 years could not take place in 50 years. We need to raise the bar for employability of the youths and focus more on environmental studies.”
MD of Windmill and member of CII’s UP state council, Umang Sah, said, “The kind of industrial development that has taken place in the past 6-7 years is just phenomenal. Due to rich heritage and culture, tourism has no end and we locals have no space to move out. Airport connectivity and infrastructure is going to improve. Entrepreneurship needs to be promoted more.”