You drive onto a highway, pay the full charge at the toll plaza, and still find none of the basic comforts you were promised. That, in short, is the complaint of travellers on the Rewa-Varanasi highway that cuts through Uttar Pradesh's Mirzapur district. Built with your tax money and once billed as world-class, the four-lane road tells a very different story on the ground — patchwork stitching on the surface in some stretches, and not a single street light glowing in others.
Why This Route Matters
The Rewa-Varanasi highway runs 146 kilometres, linking Varanasi's Ramnagar with Rewa. It also ties into the Prayagraj-Bihar route, which makes it especially valuable for freight movement, and it is treated as an important link for reaching Maharashtra and Gujarat as well. Passing through Mirzapur district, it is the only road connecting the two cities, and the one most people rely on. Given the rising volume of vehicles, the government decided to widen it into a four-lane highway, spending roughly three thousand crore rupees in the process.
Safety Still the Biggest Question
Just as the amenities fall short, so do the safety arrangements. With no proper measures in place, the highway has already seen several major accidents, and the safety of travellers on this route remains a serious unanswered question.
'Three Thousand Crore Spent, Zero Convenience'
Local resident Neeraj Yadav says the highway built at a cost of three thousand crore rupees is bare when it comes to facilities, with no arrangements made for passenger safety. He points out that at certain spots the road has not been levelled properly, causing vehicles to bounce one to two feet into the air. Nearly all the bulbs fitted on the overbridge have fused — at many points one bulb glows while the next stays dark. According to him, there has been no concern at all for the convenience or safety of drivers. Money is being collected at the toll plaza, he says, but there is no improvement in facilities whatsoever.
Rest Areas in Ruins
Gagan Upadhyay's complaint is no different. He says facilities for vehicles are next to nothing, with the rest areas lying broken and dilapidated, serving no purpose at all. Many bulbs around the overbridge are out of order, and a moment's carelessness could lead to a mishap. He has urged the government to carry out a review of the highway and then upgrade the basic facilities once that review is done. His argument is simple: if money is being charged here, then every facility that the toll is meant to cover should be provided. As things stand, the condition of the road does not appear to meet the prescribed standards anywhere.
