Centre clears Rs 675 crore for 10 road projects in Bihar

Patna: The ministry of road transport and highways has approved 10 road projects in Bihar with a budget of Rs 675 crore, state road construction department minister Nitin Nabin said on Saturday.

The projects, spread across eight districts, are expected to strengthen infrastructure and reduce travel time.Among them is the construction of a 30km road from Jayanagar in Bhargama block to Ghurna in Narpatganj block along the India-Nepal border in Araria district, at a cost of Rs 135 crore. A letter confirming the approvals was sent by the Union ministry on Friday evening and the information was shared by Nabin the following day.

The clearance came nearly a week after he met Union minister Nitin Gadkari in New Delhi to press the request.

Expressing gratitude to the Centre, Nabin said the roads would “play a crucial role in enhancing the traffic system within the districts and improve internal road connectivity, paving the way for development in remote areas of the state”.According to the letter, the projects will be implemented under the central road and infrastructure fund (CRIF) scheme.

The districts covered are Buxar, Saran, Nawada, Madhubani, Bhagalpur, Araria, Purnia and East Champaran. In addition to the Araria project, the approved works include widening and strengthening the Chausa-Gola-Kochas road (up to Basahi bridge) on SH-17 in Buxar district, including the construction of a high-level bridge, at Rs 117 crore.

Another project is the widening and strengthening of a 12km stretch on SH-104 in the Taraiya assembly area of Saran district, at Rs 48 crore.

A further project involves widening and strengthening an 11.6 km road from Nawada Station Road to Gosai Bigha, Jahana, Lakhmohna and Supaul, at Rs 45 crore.The widening and strengthening of a 12.5km stretch of the Ram Nagar-Motipur Khaira road in Madhubani district, costing Rs 72 crore, has also been approved. In Bhagalpur, a 17.14 km road from Bhagalpur to Kotwali via Goradih will be widened and strengthened at a cost of Rs 80 crore, while another project will connect the Bhagalpur-Hansdiha main road (SH-19) to NH-80 over 4.5 km, costing Rs 56 crore.

In East Champaran, an 11km stretch of the Dhaka-Laukhan road in Motihari will be widened and strengthened at Rs 42 crore, while a 15.55 km stretch of the Narigir-Champapur-Adapur road in the same district will be upgraded at Rs 47 crore.

In Purnia district, an 11.2 km road from Ghamdaha to Kuari will be widened and strengthened at Rs 29 crore.Nabin added that the state govt intends to complete the projects within the next two years and said instructions had been issued to officials to speed up the tendering process.