During a renovation in Uttar Pradesh’s Banaras at Manikarnika Ghat, a part of the ghat was damaged, causing immediate outrage among locals. Meanwhile, multiple “development” projects have raised concerns that such changes are erasing the city’s cultural heritage. We also visited Dal Mandi, where 186 structures are set to be demolished for the widening of a road.
Ground Report | In Varanasi, Development or Destruction? - The Wire
by Vipul Kumar
29/01/2026