Scientific desilting of rivers and other water bodies in Bihar is expected to yield more than 150 mn cubic metres of silt suitable for road construction. The material will be used in at least 43 National Highway projects in the state, including 16 ongoing works. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will undertake the work free of cost under the Nadi Sanjivani initiative of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH). The ministry signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Bihar government on Tuesday for desilting identified rivers and water bodies and using suitable excavated material in road construction. Under the initiative, 40 mn cubic metres of suitable silt will be used in ongoing projects, while an estimated 105 mn cubic metres is proposed for 27 future projects, subject to technical suitability and approvals. NHAI currently has 39 projects covering about 1,561 km under construction in Bihar, involving an estimated investment of Rs. 583.4 bn. A further 11 projects covering around 1,982 km are proposed, with an estimated investment of Rs. 1.85 tn. Officials said delays in soil availability had affected project timelines and caused revenue losses from tolling and cost escalation. Contractors had also faced difficulties securing permission to excavate soil. Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said accumulated silt had reduced the water-carrying capacity of rivers, contributing to floods, agricultural damage and property losses. The ministry said scientific desilting would improve water flow and drainage, restore water bodies, address water scarcity and provide farmers with benefits. Bihar has more than a dozen rivers besides the Ganga, including the Gandak, Kosi, Bagmati, Mahananda, Sone and Punpun. A 2022 report by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute recorded more than 50,000 water bodies in the state. Recovered silt could also support railway infrastructure and state road projects, while stones could be used in gabion walls to channelise river flows.