Tamil IAS officer steers India’s spiritual capital’s Rs 60,000 cr transformation

VARANASI: India's ancient spiritual capital is undergoing a historic, high-speed transformation, and at the centre of this massive overhaul stands Tamil IAS officer S Rajalingam, a native of Kadayanallur in Tenkasi district. Now serving as the Divisional Commissioner of Varanasi, Rajalingam has emerged as a crucial force behind the city's ambitious infrastructural and urban-modernisation projects, working in tandem with a handful of Tamil bureaucrats, including Deputy Police Commissioner T Saravanan, who oversees city security and key event coordination.

A 2009-batch officer, Rajalingam earlier served as the District Magistrate of Varanasi for over two and a half years, handling Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visits and shaping major projects linked to the city's rapid growth. He also heads the Varanasi Smart City Limited. Speaking to DT Next, he stressed that his Tamil identity did not influence his posting.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi's love for Tamil is admirable, but I was not chosen because I am a Tamilian. My work and my record brought me to Varanasi, " he said.

Tracing his journey, he recalled growing up in Tenkasi, studying engineering in Tiruchy and working in a private firm in Hosur before preparing for the UPSC exam. Selected first for the IPS (2006–2009), he switched to the IAS after realising that policing clashed with his temperament.

"My job and my personality conflicted. Crimes, loot, dacoity, and human suffering affected me deeply. In the IAS, I can make policy decisions that change millions of lives,” he said.

He added that South Indians enjoy high regard in the North and that the old ‘Madrasi’ stereotype has almost vanished.

According to Rajalingam, Varanasi is currently witnessing a Rs 60,000-crore development push, guided by a Comprehensive Mobility Plan. About Rs 40,000 crore worth of projects have already been completed. Until recently, Varanasi's lack of a Ring Road caused traffic snarls stretching seven hours, with airport-to-city travel taking three hours. The newly built six-lane Ring Road, combined with new bridges across the Ganga, has cut this down to 40 minutes. All major roads linking the Ring Road to the city are being widened into four-lane corridors.

The city's connectivity has seen significant upgrades. Varanasi now runs seven Vande Bharat trains, and railway stations have been revamped to accommodate one lakh passengers per day. Air traffic has shot up from 10 flights a day to 52. Waterway connectivity has expanded with a small cargo port at Ramnagar, enabling the movement of goods up to Kolkata. Dredging ensures year-round navigation, while luxury cruise services have been scaled up to attract foreign tourists.

Among the most ambitious projects is the Rs 800-crore ropeway system, built with Swiss technology and CEN-standard European safety norms. The ropeway, India's first to be used for public transport, will connect the Varanasi railway station to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple, reducing travel time from one hour to 15 minutes. It is expected to be operational by May 2026, with a proposed fare of Rs 50–Rs 100.

The Kashi Vishwanath Corridor has dramatically elevated the temple economy, with daily footfall rising from 5,000 earlier to 1.5 to 2 lakh visitors now. With each pilgrim spending an estimated Rs 5,000, local industries, handicrafts, textiles, hotels and small businesses have witnessed explosive growth. Rajalingam said that the remaining Rs 20,000 crore projects are moving through various stages and are expected to be completed by 2030.

VARANASI VIGNETTES

Rs 60,000 crore development push reshaping Varanasi; Rs 40,000 cror already completed

Airport-to-city travel was cut from 3 hours to 40 minutes due to the new six-lane Ring Road and bridges over Ganga

Rail upgrades allow handling of 1 lakh passengers per day; 7 Vande Bharat trains now operational

Daily flights increased from 10 to 52, marking a major boost in connectivity

Rs 800 crore ropeway, India's first for public transport, to link railway station with Kashi temple in 15 minutes

Kashi temple footfall jumps from 5,000 to 1.5–2 lakh daily, propelling massive economic growth

Cargo port, inland waterways and luxury cruises expanded to strengthen trade and tourism

All projects slated for completion by 2030