Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be visiting Varanasi, his parliametary constituency, on October 20 to lay the foundation stone for 23 projects worth Rs 1300 crore. Preparations are underway in Varanasi ahead of PM Modi's visit on Sunday. Apart from these, PM Modi is expected to lay the foundation stone for the "Signature Double-Decker Bridge," which will run over the Ganga River through the Varanasi and Chaundali districts and will not only be the widest railway bridge in the country but also have a six-lane road on it.

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Earlier on Wednesday, the Union Cabinet approved a rail-cum-road bridge across Ganga traversing through Varanasi and Chandauli districts of Uttar Pradesh, which will be an engineering marvel with a six-lane highway upper deck and four-line railway lower deck.

The total estimated cost of the project will be approximately Rs 2,642 crore and will be completed in four years, as per the official press release.

During a press briefing on Wednesday, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that the Malviya Bridge in Varanasi is one of the most important railway bridges across the Ganga River, connecting the northern, eastern and western states, and there is a need to replace it.

He said the Malviya Bridge is a rail-cum-road bridge (two-line rail and two-lane road), which was constructed 137 years ago, and the route between Varanasi and DDU Junction is oversaturated (163 per cent). The new rail-road bridge with four railway lines and a six-lane highway bridge will be constructed on the Ganga River with an investment of Rs 2,642 crore.

Speaking on the PM's visit here, Commissioner of Varanasi Kaushal Raj Sharma said, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a program in Varanasi on October 20. He will lay the foundation stone of several projects; he will address the public also... He will lay the foundation stone for 23 projects from Varanasi."