Projects worth Rs 29,000 crore likely to be announced for pollbound Bihar

NEW DELHI: Road transport minister Nitin Gadkari is likely to announce major highway and bridge projects for Bihar worth Rs 29,000 crore on Tuesday. The projects include construction of a parallel four-lane bridge to Mahatma Gandhi Setu on the river Ganga and a Ring Road for Patna.

This is perhaps the biggest ever announcement of road projects for the pollbound Bihar. Mahatma Gandhi Setu connects Patna to Hajipur. This is one of the longest river bridges in India and is used by lakhs of commuters from both the sides.

"While work is being taken up through funding from JICA to re-deck the existing bridge, the only solution to the demand of growing traffic is to build a parallel bridge. The new one will be built with 100% government fund and feasibility study of the project has already begun," said an official.

While re-decking of the existing bridge will require Rs 2,800 crore, construction of the new bridge will cost about Rs 5,000 crore. A Ring Road with an investment of about Rs 1,500 has also been planned, which will be taken up after availability of land from state government.