Authorities carried out a heavily guarded overnight operation in Varanasi as land was cleared for an ambitious transport hub project linked to Kashi railway station.
Security personnel remain deployed as authorities carry out demolition of the Ajgaib Shaheed Mosque for the Kashi railway station redevelopment project. | IANS video grab
A nearly 200-year-old mosque in Varanasi was demolished in a tightly guarded overnight operation on Tuesday night as authorities cleared land for the redevelopment of Kashi railway station into a multi-modal transport hub.
The Ajgaib Shaheed Mosque, located near Rajghat and falling within the alignment of the railway expansion project, was brought down shortly after midnight amid extensive security arrangements. Officials said the structure stood on railway land earmarked for the station’s modernisation and expansion.
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The demolition is linked to a major infrastructure project under which Kashi railway station is being transformed into an integrated transport hub with airport-like facilities. Estimated to cost between Rs 330 crore and Rs 400 crore, the project aims to connect rail, road, metro and water transport networks at a single location to improve passenger movement in the city.
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According to officials, senior police and administrative officers reached the site late Tuesday night and supervised the operation, which was completed within a short span. Bulldozers and earth-moving equipment were deployed to bring down the structure and clear the debris.
Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh: A mosque built on railway land was demolished late at night as part of work linked to the redevelopment of Kashi Railway Station. pic.twitter.com/ZV0r1ybqy3
— IANS (@ians_india) June 3, 2026
The administration had put in place elaborate security measures to prevent any law-and-order issues during the exercise.
Joint Commissioner of Police Shiv Hari Meena led the security arrangements, with several IPS officers, police personnel and paramilitary forces stationed in and around the area. Access to the site was tightly restricted during the operation.
Officials said five JCB machines and two Pokland excavators were used in the demolition process.
Before the demolition began, senior officials carried out a review of the area and security deployment.
Among those present were DCP Kashi Gaurav Banswal, ADCP Vaibhav Bangar, ACP Vijay Pratap and officers from multiple police stations. The heavy deployment continued until debris from the site was removed.
Authorities said the land-clearing exercise was necessary for the next phase of redevelopment at Kashi railway station.
The proposed multi-modal hub is expected to integrate trains, buses, metro services and water transport facilities, creating a centralised transit point for passengers. Officials believe the project will significantly improve connectivity and ease congestion in one of the country’s busiest pilgrimage cities.
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