Bihar Government Unveils Comprehensive Road Infrastructure Revamp
In a significant announcement aimed at transforming the state's transportation network, the Bihar government has revealed ambitious plans to upgrade all single-lane roads across the state into two-lane thoroughfares. This sweeping initiative was detailed by Road Construction Department Minister Dilip Jaiswal during his budget reply in the state legislative assembly on Tuesday.
Major High-Speed Corridor Projects Announced
Minister Jaiswal announced two landmark high-speed corridor projects that promise to revolutionize connectivity within Bihar and beyond. The first project involves constructing a four-lane highway spanning approximately 250 kilometers within Bihar, connecting Pashupatinath in Nepal to Baba Baidyanath Dham in Deoghar, Jharkhand. This corridor will commence from Valmiki Nagar and traverse through key districts including Khagaria, Saharsa, Sultanganj, and Banka.
The second major initiative is the Narayani Ganga Greenfield Highway, which will stretch from West Champaran to Bhojpur district. This project is specifically designed to enhance connectivity between northern and southern Bihar. The corridor will originate at NH 727 in Bagaha, with the explicit goal of linking the populations of the Narayani river basin with those of the Ganga river basin. Minister Jaiswal emphasized that districts such as Saran, Siwan, and Gopalganj will derive substantial benefits from this enhanced transportation service.
Phased Upgrade of Single-Lane Roads
The minister outlined a comprehensive phased approach to upgrading all single-lane roads throughout Bihar. This ambitious program will encompass state highways, major district roads, and rural roads, ensuring that improved connectivity reaches every corner of the state. Currently, the Road Construction Department maintains 16,784 kilometers of district roads, of which 5,343 kilometers remain single-lane. Widening work is already actively progressing on 2,000 kilometers, with plans to upgrade the remaining roads systematically.
Substantial Financial Commitments and Project Progress
Referencing Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's Pragati Yatra undertaken last year, Minister Jaiswal reported that 137 projects with a total cost of Rs 23,975 crore have received approval. Work has been awarded and is currently underway for 111 of these projects, while the remaining projects are scheduled for allocation by March. Additionally, another 129 projects valued at Rs 14,758 crore, approved over the past year, are at various stages of implementation.
In terms of completed and upcoming extensions, the J P Ganga Path has been successfully finished and inaugurated. Extensions to Digha-Bihta-Koilwar in the west and Munger-Sultanganj-Bhagalpur-Sabour in the east have been approved at a cost of Rs 16,465 crore. These projects will be executed under the Hybrid Annuity Model, a strategic approach designed to encourage private sector investment in infrastructure development.
Enhanced National Highway Network and Future Vision
Minister Jaiswal highlighted that Bihar currently boasts 6,392 kilometers of national highways, with multiple expressway and high-speed corridor projects actively underway with central government support. These initiatives are collectively aimed at ensuring smoother, safer, and uninterrupted traffic movement across the entire state, marking a new era in Bihar's transportation infrastructure.
