Centre Clears 223 New Road Overbridges in Bihar to Cut Travel Time to Patna to Under Four Hours

Patna: In a significant boost to Bihar’s infrastructure, the Ministry of Railways has approved the construction of 223 Road Over Bridges (ROBs) to replace railway level crossings across the state. The move is part of an ambitious initiative to ensure that residents can reach the state capital, Patna, from any part of Bihar within a maximum of three and a half hours.

The announcement follows sustained efforts and proposals by the Bihar government. The development was finalised in a meeting held on Thursday between Mihir Kumar Singh, Additional Chief Secretary of the Road Construction Department, and senior Railway Board officials including Naveen Gulati, Member (Infrastructure), and Chhatrasal Singh, General Manager of East Central Railway.

During the meeting, officials confirmed that the Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for 12 ROBs and RUBs (Road Under Bridges) had already received approval from the Railway Board. These include:

1. Saharsa district: Gate no. 104B1 (Saharsa Junction–Baijnathpur)
2. Chhapra district: Gate no. 47spl (Chhapra Junction–Chhapra Kachhari)
3. Sitamarhi district: Gate no. 55C/3 (Sitamarhi–Dumra)
4. Gaya district: Gate nos. 39/C/T (Paharpur–Gurpa) and 8/C (Paraiya–Guraru)
5. Lakhisarai district: Gate nos. 24/A/E (Abhaypur–Masudan) and 27/B/T (Kajra–Abhaypur)
6. Jamui district: Gate no. 36 (Jhajha–Simultala)
7. Munger district: Gate no. 17/A/E (Jamalpur–Dashrathpur)
8. Aurangabad district: Gate nos. 28/B and 23/C/T (Feshar–Baghoi Kusa, Jakhim–Baghoi Kusa)
9. Muzaffarpur district: Gate no. 123 (Motipur–Mehsi)

In addition to these, the DPRs for 48 more ROBs are ready and expected to be cleared by the Railway Ministry next month. Work is also underway to prepare project reports for another 112 proposed ROBs.

Between March and May, the Railways granted No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for all 223 crossings under the Road Construction Department’s jurisdiction. NOCs were also issued for 236 of 259 level crossings under other departments such as the Rural Works Department.

Road Construction Minister Nitin Naveen welcomed the development and expressed gratitude to the Centre for its prompt approval. “With the construction of these ROBs, our goal of ensuring travel to Patna within 3 hours and 30 minutes from any district is now within reach,” he said. “These bridges will not only eliminate delays at railway crossings but also significantly improve road safety and efficiency.”