Bihar govt approves four new road projects by NHAI

The proposal of alignment of four new four-lane road projects by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to improve the road communication network in Bihar has received approval from the state government. The road projects planned by NHAI comprise a four-lane road between Buxar and Varanasi, Barauni and Muzaffarpur, Mokama and Munger, and Buxar and Haidaria. Nitish Kumar, Chief Minister of Bihar, gave the final approval during a presentation by the road construction department. Amrit Lal Meena, Additional chief secretary (roads), told the media that Mokama to Munger road is a greenfield project, which will pass through Manoharpur and Lakhisarai. The plan also covers a 20-km four-lane between Sarmera and Manoharpur, ensuring a seamless journey for people travelling from Buxar to Mirjachowki (Bhagalpur) through Mokama, Patna, and Munger. Additionally, the state government gave its nod for the widening of the two-lane road existing between Barauni and Muzaffarpur through Musri Gharari, Bachhwara and Dalsingh Sarai. The Chief Minister also approved the NHAI proposal to construct a 17 km four-lane road between Buxar and Haidaria. Once achieved, Buxar would be connected with Purvanchal Expressway, being constructed by the NHAI from Lucknow and Haidaria in Uttar Pradesh. The long-awaited demand of the state government to connect Buxar with Varanasi through a four-lane road on its way for realisation after the NHAI offered a fresh alignment of the 71 km road. Of the total alignment, 29 km stretch comes under Bihar’s territory, with the rest in Uttar Pradesh. Officials told the media that all four projects might cost more than Rs 10,000 crore to the NHAI. The state government would procure land on behalf of the NHAI, and therefore, it would not need to spend anything on the project. The RCD has asked the Central government to include a 552 km long Indo-Nepal border road under the Bharat Mala project-II and develop it into four-lane roads. Presently, the road, which is of vital importance, has two lanes. Other roads, which the state government suggested for their integration with Bharat Mala project-II, are Arwal and Jehanabad, Buxar-Bihar Sharif state highway via Piro, Patna-Kolkata Expressway, Sultanganj- Deoghar and Dalsingh Sarai-Simri Bakhtiarpur road. Image Source Also read: Govt nods for flyovers, bridges along Gurgaon-Beawar NH Also read: NHAI begins redevelopment work of two major roads in Trichy