The Union Cabinet has approved the construction of a 120-km-long, four-lane access-controlled Patna-Arrah-Sasaram corridor in Bihar at an estimated cost of Rs 37.12 billion. The project will be developed under the Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM), a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. Divided into two phases, the corridor includes a 74.43-km stretch to be completed in 24 months and a 45.67-km section scheduled for completion in 30 months. Once operational, the corridor will improve regional connectivity between key cities such as Lucknow, Patna, Ranchi, and Varanasi while also linking five National Highways (NH-19, NH-319, NH-922, NH-131G, and NH-120). Currently, travel between Sasaram, Arrah, and Patna depends on congested State Highways (SH-2, SH-12, SH-81, and SH-102), resulting in a travel time of 3-4 hours. To alleviate this congestion, the project includes a greenfield corridor and the upgradation of a 10.6-km brownfield highway. The corridor will benefit densely populated areas such as Arrah, Grahini, Piro, Bikramganj, Mokar, and Sasaram. The corridor will also enhance connectivity to Patna’s Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport, the upcoming Bihta airport, four major railway stations (Sasaram, Arrah, Danapur, and Patna), and an inland water terminal. Additionally, it will support the Patna Ring Road project, enabling faster movement of goods and passengers. The initiative is expected to generate 48 lakh man-days of employment while fostering economic growth and development in the region. (newindianexpress)