The Bihar government on Tuesday sanctioned Rs 542 crore for the construction of a ‘world-class heritage tunnel’, a subway that will connect the Bihar Museum with the Patna Museum. The decision to this effect was taken in the cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar here on Tuesday. The proposal was mooted before the cabinet by the state Urban Development and Housing Department.
Talking to reporters, S Siddhartha, Additional Chief Secretary (Cabinet Secretariat), said, “The project to construct a 1.5 km tunnel, connecting Bihar Museum with Patna Museum, has already been assigned to Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC). The cabinet on Tuesday approved the revised budget of Rs 542 crore for the project”
The tunnel will provide connectivity from Bihar Museum (located at Bailey Road) to Patna Museum (situated at Chajju Bagh), he said, adding the project will be completed by 2026.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who inaugurated Bihar Museum Biennale-2023 on Monday, said, “The state government is working on an underground tunnel to connect the Bihar Museum and the Patna Museum, stretching for over 1.5 km. Once complete, it will enable visitors to explore both museums through this tunnel on a single ticket”.
“The tunnel will be fully air-conditioned with two lifts on both sides of the tunnel. Stairs and pedestrian passage will be for those who are willing to walk the distance. It shall be equipped with battery-operated golf car for smooth, convenient, and eco-friendly transit service to the visitors”, said another senior official of the Bihar government.
It will be equipped with all safety measures for fire safety and safe evacuation of the visitors, he said.