Varanasi Steps Up: 150-Acre Township to Rise Near New Cricket Stadium

Varanasi is poised to develop its first-ever planned urban township, spanning 150 acres near the upcoming international cricket stadium at Ganjari in the Hardoi district of Uttar Pradesh. The project was approved by the Varanasi Development Authority (VDA) during its 133rd board meeting held on June 9, 2025.

The meeting was chaired by Divisional Commissioner and VDA Chairman S. Rajalingam, and attended by Vice Chairman Pulkit Garg, District Magistrate Satyendra Kumar, and other board members. Authority Secretary Ved Prakash Mishra presented a compliance report on previous decisions, reviewed progress for the 2024–25 financial year, and introduced new development proposals.

The international cricket stadium, for which Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone on September 23, 2023, is being constructed on a 30.66-acre site at a cost of ₹451 crore. Designed to accommodate 30,000 spectators, the stadium is expected to be completed by the end of 2025 and may host its first international match in 2026.

Ahead of the board meeting, a new state-of-the-art record room was inaugurated. Built at a cost of ₹36 lakh, the facility can store up to 80,000 files, bringing the total storage capacity to 2,55,266 files.

News by Rahul Yelligetti.