Bihar government gave its nod to the alignment of four new four-lane road projects proposed by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) to strengthen the road communication network in Bihar.
The road projects proposed by the NHAI include a four-lane road between Mokama and Munger, Barauni and Muzaffarpur, Buxar and Haidaria, and Buxar and Varanasi. The final nod was given by chief minister Nitish Kumar during a presentation by road construction department.
Additional chief secretary (roads) Amrit Lal Meena said that Mokama to Munger road is a greenfield project, which will pass through Manoharpur and Lakhisarai. The project also includes 20-km four-lane between Manoharpur and Sarmera, which would ensure a seamless journey for travellers from Buxar to Mirjachowki (Bhagalpur) via Patna, Mokama and Munger. The state government also gave its approval for the widening of the existing two-lane road between Barauni and Muzaffarpur via Bachhwara, Dalsingh Sarai and Musri Gharari.
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 proposed a fresh alignment of the 71-km road. Of the total alignment, 29-km stretch falls under Bihar’s territory with the rest in Uttar Pradesh. Officials said that all four projects might cost more than ₹10,000 crore to the NHAI. The state government would acquire land on behalf of the NHAI, and hence it would not require spending anything on the project.
The RCD has urged the Central government to include 552-km long Indo-Nepal border road under the Bharat Mala project-II and strengthen it into four-lane roads. Currently, the road, which is of strategic importance, has two lanes. Other roads, which the state government recommended for their integration with Bharat Mala project-II, are Patna-Kolkata Expressway, Buxar-Bihar Sharif state highway via Piro, Arwal and Jehanabad, Sultanganj- Deoghar and Dalsingh Sarai-Simri Bakhtiarpur road.