The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has prepared a revised report estimating the proposed Gorakhpur-Siliguri Expressway at about Rs. 730 bn. The authority plans to submit the report to the Public-Private Partnership Appraisal Committee (PPPAC), which has not yet approved the proposal. Consideration by the Union Cabinet will follow only after PPPAC approval.

The proposed expressway will cover about 568 km, including roughly 417 km in Bihar. The Bihar section is planned to pass through West Champaran, East Champaran, Sitamarhi, Sheohar, Madhubani, Supaul, Araria and Kishanganj. The project is proposed under a public-private partnership model, under which private-sector participation would support development and operation during the contracted period.

Of the total estimated cost, about Rs. 450 bn has been allocated for construction. The remaining amount is intended for land acquisition and other project-related requirements. The revised estimate therefore reflects both the physical construction of the expressway and associated expenditure needed to secure the route and prepare it for implementation.

The Centre has agreed to include the project in its 2026-27 annual plan. Land acquisition has already begun in Bihar, although the construction start date remains unclear. The project has consequently moved ahead in planning and preliminary acquisition, but it is yet to receive the approvals required before construction can begin.

The Bihar government has requested a six-lane expressway instead of the proposed four-lane configuration. That request has not been accepted so far, leaving the planned four-lane design as the current proposal. The final scope, funding structure and implementation schedule will depend on the appraisal process and subsequent government decisions.