Patna: The Bihar government has unveiled an extensive bridge-building programme aimed at transforming connectivity across the state’s river networks. Under the plan, 51 major bridges will be constructed or upgraded across four principal rivers the Ganges, Son River, Kosi River and Gandak River.
Officials said 25 bridges are already operational, 14 are under construction and work on a further 12 projects is expected to begin shortly. The initiative is designed to address long-standing connectivity gaps in a state where large rivers often divide districts and slow road transport.
The largest concentration of projects is planned over the Ganges, Bihar’s most significant river corridor. Eight bridges are currently operational, while another eight are being built. Key schemes include six-lane bridges between Dighwara and Sherpur and alongside JP Setu, a four-lane parallel bridge to Mahatma Gandhi Setu, and major links such as Kacchi Dargah–Bidupur, Bakhtiyarpur–Tajpur and Aguwani Ghat–Sultanganj. Additional proposals include parallel structures in Buxar, new crossings under the Raxaul–Haldia Expressway, and a four-lane bridge at Kahalgaon.
On the Son river, five bridges are functional, with a two-lane structure under construction at Panduka. Authorities have also approved new bridges along the Varanasi–Ranchi–Kolkata corridor and the Patna–Ara–Sasaram route, both seen as strategic transport arteries connecting Bihar to neighbouring states.
Seven bridges are already in operation across the Gandak river. Construction continues on four-lane bridges at Hajipur and Konharwaghat, along with a parallel two-lane bridge at Dumariaghat. Upcoming projects include crossings near the Valmiki Tiger Reserve bypass in West Champaran and on key highway corridors linking Gorakhpur and Siliguri, as well as the Ramjanaki route at Sattarghat.
The Kosi river often associated with severe flooding and shifting channels has five operational bridges, with new construction under way near Bihpur on national highway routes. Further proposals include six-lane bridges on the Gorakhpur–Siliguri and Patna–Purnia corridors, and an additional two-lane bridge at Kursela.
The state’s road construction minister, Dilip Kumar Jaiswal, said expanded bridge infrastructure was critical to sustaining economic growth and improving mobility. He said several projects had been completed through joint efforts between the state and central governments, and that the remaining works would significantly enhance safety, reduce travel time and strengthen trade and regional integration once finished.
