PM to Inaugurate Aunta–Simaria Highway Project with Six-Lane Ganga Bridge
21 Aug 2025 CW Team
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the 8.15-km Aunta–Simaria highway project on NH-31 in Bihar tomorrow. The project includes a 1.86-km six-lane extradosed cable-stayed bridge across the Ganga, constructed at a cost of over Rs 18.70 billion. The new link will connect Mokama in Patna district with Begusarai, easing traffic congestion and reducing travel distances for heavy vehicles that were earlier diverted due to the closure of the old Rajendra Setu.
With a width of 34 metres and advanced design features, the bridge is one of India’s widest of its kind and is built to withstand high traffic volumes. The project is expected to cut travel time significantly between north Bihar districts such as Begusarai, Supaul, and Purnea, and south Bihar regions including Patna, Sheikhpura, and Lakhisarai. It is also anticipated to boost economic activity, benefiting farmers, industrial hubs like Barauni, and freight movement across the region.
Alongside the bridge, the Prime Minister will inaugurate the four-lane Bakhtiyarpur–Mokama section of NH-31, worth around Rs 1,900 crore, and upgrades to the Bikramganj–Dawath–Nawanagar–Dumraon section of NH-120. Together, these projects aim to strengthen connectivity, enhance logistics efficiency, and create new growth opportunities in Bihar.