The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has granted a substantial $295 million loan to bolster the infrastructure of Bihar state, marking a significant boost for development in the region. The loan will be utilised to widen and upgrade approximately 265 kilometres of state highways.An official agreement cementing this collaboration was signed between Vumlunmang Vualnam, Additional Secretary of the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), and Takeo Konishi, the Country Director for ADB in India.The primary objective of this project is to support the Bihar government in upgrading all state highways to standard two-lane widths, equipped with road safety features and paved shoulders. This endeavour includes the reconstruction, widening, and strengthening of culverts and bridges. Notably, the Bihar government is also contributing $156.6 million towards this initiative.The focus of the highway upgrades will be on incorporating climate-and disaster-resilient designs, as well as road safety elements, catering to the specific needs of vulnerable groups such as the elderly, women, children, and people with disabilities.The improved highways are expected to significantly enhance connectivity, particularly in some of Bihar's most underprivileged rural districts. Additionally, they will facilitate improved access to vital healthcare and educational facilities and provide better market connectivity, ultimately enhancing the overall quality of life for the people in the region.The ADB, based in Manila, has been a key player in supporting India's infrastructure development since it began operations in the country in 1986. Over the years, the ADB has extended five loans amounting to $1.63 billion for various projects in Bihar, which have collectively upgraded approximately 1,696 kilometres of state highways and facilitated the construction of a new bridge over the Ganga River.The first project funded by ADB in Bihar's road sector was the Bihar State Highways Project. Approved in September 2008, it received $420 million for rehabilitating 825 kilometres of state highways. The project concluded successfully on July 31, 2012, as planned.In September 2010, ADB approved the $300 million Bihar State Highways II Project, dedicated to the rehabilitation of 389 kilometres of state highways. Subsequently, in September 2012, the lender granted an additional $300 million to rehabilitate an extra 254 kilometres of state highways.Furthermore, in 2016, ADB approved the New Ganga Bridge Project, aimed at constructing a new road bridge across the Ganges River and establishing an integrated approach roadway network in Bihar. This six-lane extra dosed cable bridge will connect Kachchi Dargah in District Patna on NH-30 to Bidupur in Vaishali district on NH-103, bridging the gap between north and south Bihar and providing better links to Patna, the state capital, and surrounding areas.