Patna: The much-awaited construction of the fourth double-line rail bridge over the Ganga River in Bihar is set to commence in April 2025. The bridge, spanning approximately 4 kilometers, will connect Vikramshila to Katoria near Bateshwarsthan near Kahalgaon, Bhagalpur district. With an estimated cost of ₹1153 crore, the project is poised to significantly enhance rail connectivity and reduce travel time for millions of passengers.
According to the East Central Railway, a tender for the construction of the bridge, which will be 13 meters wide, has been floated, and the selection of the construction agency is expected by January 2025. The agency will be given four years to complete the project, with the bridge anticipated to be operational by 2028-29.
This bridge is part of a broader ₹2178.38 crore infrastructure project, which includes the construction of a rail line from Vikramshila to Naugachhia. A rail bridge over the Ganga at Bateshwarsthan will also be developed. Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) Saraswati Chandra confirmed that the tender process has been initiated, and work will begin after the contractor is finalized.
Once completed, the new rail bridge will save approximately three hours of travel time for trains heading from Deoghar to Agartala and Dibrugarh by eliminating the need to pass through the Munger Bridge. Trains will take a direct route from Vikramshila to Naugachhia via Katoria. The project will operationalize five bypass routes, connecting Pirpainti-Naugachhia, Bhagalpur-Sahebganj, Patna-Howrah, Deoghar-Dumka, and Godda.
The bridge is expected to benefit over 10 lakh residents of Bihar and Jharkhand, easing travel for people from districts like Purnia, Katihar, Araria, and Kishanganj to Ranchi. It will also enhance connectivity to religious sites such as Baba Baidyanath Dham in Deoghar and Baba Bateshwarsthan, Kahalgaon.
