The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the construction of a 4-lane access-controlled corridor connecting Patna, Arrah, and Sasaram in Bihar. The 120.10 km project, which includes both greenfield and brownfield segments, will be developed on the Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM) at a total capital cost of Rs 37.12 billion. Project highlights • Objective: Reduce congestion and enhance connectivity between Patna, Arrah, and Sasaram, replacing reliance on existing state highways (SH-2, SH-12, SH-81, SH-102), which currently take 3-4 hours due to traffic bottlenecks. • Alignment: The corridor integrates with key national highways, including NH-19, NH-319, NH-922, NH-131G, and NH-120, ensuring seamless connectivity to Aurangabad, Kaimur, and Patna. • Strategic connectivity: Links to two airports (Patna’s Jay Prakash Narayan International airport and the upcoming Bihita Airport), four major railway stations (Sasaram, Arrah, Danapur, Patna), and one inland water terminal (Patna). • Employment generation: Expected to create 22 lakh person-days of direct employment and 26 lakh person-days of indirect employment. • Traffic projection: Estimated Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) of 17,000-20,000 Passenger Car Units (PCUs) by FY 2025. Economic and infrastructure impact The Patna-Arrah-Sasaram Corridor is a key infrastructure initiative supporting the government's Atmanirbhar Bharat vision. It will improve connectivity across major economic hubs, including Lucknow, Patna, Ranchi, and Varanasi, facilitating faster movement of goods and passengers. By reducing travel time and congestion, the project will boost regional trade, attract investments, and accelerate socio-economic development in Bihar. (PIB)