Work in progress: Old Kashi, reforms to remove power wire clutter

The congested Old Kashi area comprises Dashashwamedh, Manikarnika ghats, Kashi Vishwanath temple, and the popular Godauliya, Lanka market areas, among others

On the congested road leading towards Dashashwamedh ghat in Varanasi, people, rickshaws, bikes, and cows all move at the same pace. But the view overhead is a stark contrast to this chaos.
 

There are no dreary electricity wires hanging loose, no rusty pillars, or dilapidated transformers, thanks to the reform of electricity supply in an 8 km area near the ghats. This is a first for any constituency in Uttar Pradesh. 

Typically, the integrated power development scheme (IPDS) is implemented by the state’s power distribution company. But for Varanasi’s transformation, the credit rests with government-owned Power Grid Corporation of India.