Patna: The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the construction of a four-lane highway between Sahebganj, Areraj, and Bettiah in Bihar, at an estimated cost of Rs 3,822.31 crore.
The 78.94 km greenfield corridor, to be built under the Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM), aims to improve connectivity between Patna and Bettiah, linking districts across north Bihar including Vaishali, Saran, Siwan, Gopalganj, Muzaffarpur, and both Champarans, extending to areas near the Indo-Nepal border.
Officials said the project will provide high-speed connectivity to alternatives that are currently congested and geometrically deficient, offering smoother access for passenger and freight vehicles. Designed for a maximum speed of 100 km/h, the corridor will allow average speeds of 80 km/h, reducing travel time between Sahebganj and Bettiah from 2.5 hours to one hour.
The highway is expected to support cross-border trade and link seven PM Gati Shakti economic nodes, six social nodes, eight logistics hubs, and nine major tourism and religious centres. These include the Kesariya Buddha Stupa in Sahebganj, Someshwarnath Temple in Areraj, the Jain Temple and Vishwa Shanti Stupa in Vaishali, and Mahavir Temple in Patna, strengthening Bihar’s Buddhist circuit and boosting international tourism.
The project will also create employment opportunities, with government estimates suggesting 14.22 lakh man-days of direct work and 17.69 lakh man-days of indirect jobs, alongside additional opportunities from new economic activity along the corridor.
