The construction of India's transportation network is about to take an important step - a new bridge spanning the Hogley River is entering the planning stage. This bridge will become a control project for the 620 kilometer Varanasi Kolkata highway, with the potential to significantly reduce travel time between the two cities from the current 14 hours to 6 hours, bringing unprecedented transportation convenience to the eastern region of India.

This proposed new bridge will connect Bagnan in the Horwar district with Pujali in the South 24 Pagana region, becoming the fourth cross river passage on the Hogley River. There are already three bridges on this river section, including the historic Houla Bridge, Vidiasagar Setu Bridge, and Nivetita Setu Bridge. The construction of the new bridge will effectively alleviate the traffic pressure on existing bridges, further improve the regional road network structure, and provide key support for the Varanasi Kolkata Expressway.

The Varanasi Kolkata Expressway project is being promoted by the National Highways Authority of India, with a planned construction of two lanes in both directions and a total investment of approximately 4 billion US dollars. This east-west transportation artery will connect Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal, becoming the backbone of transportation driving economic development in eastern India. After the completion of the project, it will not only promote commercial exchanges between towns along the route, but also create new opportunities for the circulation of agricultural products and the development of tourism resources.

At present, the road journey from Varanasi to Kolkata requires detours on multiple roads, and the entire journey takes about 14 hours. The new expressway will significantly improve logistics efficiency and personnel convenience by optimizing route design and reducing congestion nodes, reducing travel time to 6 hours. It has profound significance for strengthening the economic connection between Kolkata Port and inland areas and reducing regional supply chain costs.

This project is still in the approval stage, but its planning and promotion fully reflect the Indian government's emphasis on the construction of a modern transportation system. If the project is successfully implemented, the Hogley River new bridge and supporting expressway will become an important achievement of India's "National Infrastructure Pipeline" plan, injecting new vitality into regional coordinated development and improvement of people's livelihoods. Keywords: Southeast Asian Engineering Information Network

India is continuously improving its domestic transportation network architecture through large-scale infrastructure projects, laying a solid foundation for sustainable economic development. In the future, this expressway connecting the historic city of Varanasi with the economic center of Kolkata is expected to become a new benchmark for connectivity in eastern India, further promoting economic integration and development in South Asia.Editor/Cheng Liting