Kishanganj: The upcoming Siliguri–Gorakhpur six-lane expressway is set to transform connectivity in Bihar’s Kishanganj district, with nearly 72 kilometres of the route now confirmed to pass through its borders. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has issued a fresh notification approving the revised alignment, which will traverse three blocks in the district — Tedhagachh, Bahadurganj and Thakurganj.
According to officials, the expressway will enter Bihar through the Tedhagachh block and proceed via Bahadurganj and Thakurganj before entering West Bengal. Land acquisition is expected across 63 mouzas in Kishanganj and 48 mouzas in neighbouring Araria district. The revised plan marks a significant change from the earlier alignment, which had raised local concerns.
Alignment change after public demand
Earlier, the proposed route ran adjacent to the western part of Thakurganj town. A detailed project report (DPR) had already been prepared, but residents and civic bodies warned of large-scale displacement and damage to residential and government properties within a four-kilometre stretch near the town.
In response, local group Nagrik Ekta Manch submitted a memorandum to Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, urging an eastern shift. The group proposed that the expressway pass east of Thakurganj near Bhogdabar and enter West Bengal via Dudhmanjar and Kanakpur revenue villages. The ministry later approved this revised alignment.
Villages along the new route
The expressway will now pass through 32 villages in the Thakurganj region, including Besarbati, Patharia, Gothra, Kanakpur, Dudhmanjar, Bhogdabar, Bahadurpur, Amaljhari, Jirangach, Kharudah, Kunjimari, Gambhirgarh and Barchaundi, among others.
Economic prospects for the district
Officials and local leaders have hailed the expressway as a catalyst for regional growth. The six-lane greenfield project is expected to boost trade, improve access to major cities, and attract industries along the route. Plans are also underway to develop an industrial zone near Galgalia, which is likely to generate new employment opportunities and spur small-scale business development.
“This is Kishanganj’s first major infrastructure project in years,” said a district official. “It will redefine the region’s connectivity and accelerate its economic progress.”
Once completed, the Siliguri–Gorakhpur expressway will enhance road transport across Bihar and West Bengal, forming a crucial link between eastern and northern India.
