Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways Nitin Gadkari inaugurated the three-lane 1.5-km-long Koilwar bridge over Sone river in Bihar through video conferencing. A sum of Rs 266 crore was spent to construct a six-lane bridge in place of the existing 138-years-old two-lanes which is used for both rail and traffic. After completion of the other carriageway, the traffic on NH-922 and NH-30 will ease substantially. The bridge is major road for transport between Bihar and UP.
A four-lane elevated road from Bharauli (Buxar) to Haidaria for providing connectivity to the Poorvanchal Expressway is approved. The DPR for this 17-km-long link road will be ready by June next year. The Ministry has also approved the widening of 70-km Mokama-Munger road, for which DPR will be completed by April next. Similarly, work on widening of Muzzaffpur – Barauni road will start soon. The proposal of four-laning of Khagaria-Purnea road (NH-31) has also been approved and its DPR will be ready by the coming April. The four-laning of Muzaffarpur- Sitamarhi-Sonewarsha road (NH-77), which is part of Ramjanki Marg, will simplify the travel to Jakanpur Dham (Nepal), and its DPR will be ready May next year. A new alignment has been prepared for the Sasaram-Aarah-Patna Greenfield project. On the Aarah Ringroad, 90 per cent work will be covered by the existing three projects, add reports.
Gadkari has informed that road works worth Rs 30,000 crore are ongoing in Bihar. A sum of Rs 4,600 crore has been released for compensation against land acquisitions. The Minister informed that the 7-km four-lane Koshi bridge worth Rs 1,478 crore is likely to be completed by the year 2023. The tender for the 4-km long Rs 1,110 crore Vikramshila bridge has been issued and the construction likely to complete in 2024, added reports. The work on Buxar bridge will be completed by the next year. This bridge will provide an alternative route of 250 km which takes 6 to 8 hours for travel.