VARANASI: Traffic police issued an advisory on Friday, October 30, 2026, for restrictions during the proposed visit of the chief minister and railway minister on Saturday, October 31. The changes affect journeys around Manduwadih and Banaras station, the Cantt to BHU corridor, the old city and several approaches from outside Varanasi.
The restrictions are to begin three hours before the visiting dignitaries arrive and continue until the programme ends. The opened accounts do not provide a fixed clock time for activation. Residents travelling on October 31 should therefore confirm the current position before leaving, rather than assume that the restriction lasts only three hours.
Passengers using autos between Cantt station and BHU should plan for the Sigra and Rathyatra alternative. Travellers arriving by bus from neighbouring districts should also check where their service will terminate or turn. Traffic police have asked people to use alternative roads and allow additional journey time.
What residents should do
Before starting a journey through the affected corridors, ask whether the destination can be reached using the stated alternative. For current traffic assistance, the advisory reproduced in a local report lists the traffic control room at 7839856994 and the traffic helpline at 7317202020. Keep the destination and intended approach road ready when seeking route information.
Three connected corridors will lose auto and e rickshaw services during the restriction period. These are Kachahari through Police Lines to Chaukaghat; Lakdi Mandi and Chaukaghat through Lahurabir and Maidagin to Visheshwarganj; and the Ambedkar crossing, JP Mehta, Circuit House, Bhojubeer, UP College and Gilat Bazar corridor.
The Cantt station to BHU auto journey is specifically addressed. Autos normally using Lahartara and Bhikharipur will instead be directed through Sigra and Rathyatra. This is a route change that passengers should discuss before boarding. The advisory does not announce a replacement fare or a guaranteed journey time.
Bus approaches and heavy vehicle restrictions
Buses approaching from Jaunpur, Ghazipur and Azamgarh are to reach the Harahua Ring Road underpass crossing, then take the Parmapur route through the Lohta police station area towards Chandpur crossing. Affected roadways and private buses will also be diverted from Harahua overbridge towards Harahua Ring Road crossing.
Services arriving from Prayagraj and Mirzapur are to turn back at Murela tri junction. Buses approaching from Akhari underpass will be diverted towards Mohansarai or Dafi rather than proceeding towards Tikharapur. These arrangements concern road access during the programme; they do not establish that every bus service is cancelled.
Goods vehicle movement from the Rajghat bridge and Sujabad side will be restricted. At Babatpur police outpost tri junction, heavy vehicles will be sent towards Baragaon instead of being allowed towards Babatpur airport and Harahua. Operators should check the approach they intend to use before entering the affected area.
Changes around the southern city and old city
At Nariya, vehicles heading towards Bhikharipur will be sent towards Karaundi and through Chitaipur. From Bhikharipur, the Manduwadih direction will be closed and vehicles redirected towards Sundarpur and Chandpur. At Lahartara crossing, traffic seeking Manduwadih or Cantt station will be sent towards Englishia Line.
Rathyatra and Akashvani approaches towards Mahmoorganj will be diverted towards Sigra. Vehicles from Mahmoorganj overbridge seeking Manduwadih crossing will be sent towards Mahmoorganj tri junction. From that junction, traffic seeking the Rathyatra school and Lahartara direction will be redirected towards Akashvani or Kakarmatta overbridge.
In the old city, all vehicle movement between Maidagin and Godowlia is to be restricted. Four wheelers approaching Maidagin from Visheshwarganj will be diverted towards Golgadda. The reports do not specify a pedestrian ban on the Maidagin to Godowlia stretch, so the vehicle restriction should not be described as one.
The Traffic Police Commissionerate Varanasi portal provides the official body reference. The October 30 advisory details above were cross checked between two opened reports. Separate background reports cover Banaras station platform changes, the November 2 Saharanpur special and the earlier Delhi sleeper timetable announcement. Those notices concern separate passenger arrangements and should be checked alongside road access.
