Bihar CM Urges Officials to Accelerate Construction of Patna-Gaya-Dobhi Highway

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has conducted an inspection of the ongoing construction of the Patna-Gaya-Dobhi four-lane highway, urging officials to expedite the completion of the project. Once finished, the highway is set to drastically reduce travel time between Patna and Gaya to just two hours.

During his visit, the Chief Minister stopped at the Basuhar bridge in Punpun while traveling to Jehanabad to assess various projects. He was accompanied by key officials, including Minister-in-Charge Ashok Chaudhary, Principal Secretary of Road Construction Pratyaya Amrit, and Chief Minister's Principal Secretary Deepak Kumar.

Ghulam Qadir, Project Director of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), noted the Chief Minister's directives, stating, "The Chief Minister has instructed us to open one lane of the railway overbridge by September 30, with the entire project expected to be operational by the end of December."

The completion of the four-lane highway promises to enhance connectivity and improve travel efficiency between Patna and Gaya, which are crucial for regional development.

Initiated in 2010, the Patna-Gaya-Dobhi highway project has faced significant delays but is now nearing its final stages. This critical route spans 39 km in Patna district, 44 km in Jehanabad district, and 44.22 km in Gaya district, connecting to the Grand Trunk (GT) Road near Dobhi.

Originally estimated to cost over Rs 1,600 crore, the project's expenses have soared to more than Rs 5,000 crore due to challenges such as the exit of construction agencies mid-project and land acquisition issues. However, over 90 percent of the work has been completed, with the remaining tasks expected to wrap up by December.

The project's progress gained momentum after the Patna High Court began monitoring its status. Once operational, the highway will alleviate traffic congestion, particularly by connecting to the Patna bypass, and will greatly benefit pilgrims traveling to Gaya, a significant religious site.

ET