The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has issued a tender for the construction of a four-lane elevated road from Kapasia Chowk to the Begusarai jail area. The road will cover a 4.3 km stretch and cost Rs 371 crore, according to state road construction minister Nitin Nabin. The NHAI will give the construction agency two and a half years to complete the project from the start date. It will also be responsible for road maintenance for the next 10 years after the project is completed. Begusarai is an industrial city with several key industries such as the Barauni refinery, a fertiliser plant, and a power station, as well as ancillary industries, all of which put enormous strain on traffic on NH-31 in the town area, resulting in constant traffic jams. It will be connected to a six-lane bridge over the Ganga soon, adding to the traffic congestion. The four-lane elevated road will make it easier to travel on the highway that runs through town, Nabin said. Apart from that, the long-awaited Munger road bridge, which is part of the rail-cum-road overbridge, will be dedicated to the nation on December 25, which also happens to be the birth anniversary of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who initiated the project in 2003. Though the Munger rail bridge opened in April 2016 after several delays, the road bridge could not be opened for traffic due to the failure to complete the construction of the approach roads on both ends of the bridge. Road construction minister Nitin Nabin and additional chief secretary Pratyaya Amrit visited the site and directed all parties involved to ensure that the bridge was open to traffic on the scheduled date. Image Source Also read: Bihar plans 1,300 km expressway network in next four years