Source: news.bbc.co.uk
VARANASI, INDIA, April 20, 2010: Sakaldip Rai travelled for more than seven hours on top of a bus in searing heat, all alone. This was one long journey before his last. The 80-year-old had wanted to be cremated in the Hindu holy city of Varanasi after his death. But Mr. Rai’s grandson says that thanks to a new highway network, his grandfather’s wish was fulfilled without any hassle. “Varanasi has always been significant for Hindus. Now because of these highways the connectivity is so much better,” he says. “Earlier there used to be knee-deep potholes.”
For centuries, Hindus have been coming to Varanasi to cremate their dead. They believe it is the road to heaven. And as the roads connecting this city with the rest of the country get better, wider and faster, more and more Hindus are now seeking this route to the other world.
It was in 1998 that the ambitious project was created to link the four main cities of India through a network of nearly 3,700 miles of four-lane highways. As it nears completion, cities like Varanasi that fall on the way have begun to reap the benefits.