VARANASI. ONGC Limited, in partnership with the Varanasi Development Authority, has launched a massive Corporate Social Responsibility initiative investing 260.61 crore to rejuvenate a 2.5-kilometer stretch of the River Varuna in Varanasi. Focusing on the environmentally sensitive and historically significant zone between Victory Bridge and Chaukaghat Bridge, this major project aims to transform the river’s ecological health while upgrading urban infrastructure and revitalizing the cultural landscape of Kashi. The comprehensive restoration effort will introduce extensive green spaces, native plantations, and biodiversity zones along the riverbanks, establishing a sustainable blueprint designed to significantly enhance urban livability and long-term environmental resilience in the historic city.
Beyond environmental restoration, the project emphasizes community engagement and public welfare by creating modern pedestrian promenades, cycle tracks, universally accessible walkways, and dedicated yoga and wellness zones. The revamped riverfront will also feature vibrant cultural ghats, open-air community spaces, enhanced public lighting, advanced sanitation systems, and safe drinking water facilities. Expected to directly benefit nearly 36 lakh residents, pilgrims, and tourists, this transformative initiative represents one of the region’s most impactful public sector CSR-driven urban ecological projects, seamlessly blending environmental sustainability with local tourism and economic growth.
