Patna: The Bihar government has begun survey work for the construction of three new barrages on the Bagmati and Mahananda rivers, a move aimed at reducing the impact of floods and improving irrigation facilities. Officials say the project will benefit millions of people living in eight districts of north Bihar, where floods cause widespread damage almost every year during the monsoon season.
Water resources minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary said that rivers flowing through Bihar often bring destruction before finally merging into the Bay of Bengal. Large volumes of water overflow during the rainy season, damaging crops, homes and roads. The government now plans to store and manage this excess water through barrages so that it can be used later for irrigation and other needs. According to the minister, preparations for this long-term solution are already under way.
As per the water resources department, two barrages will be built on the Bagmati river and one on the Mahananda river. The decision was approved by the Bihar government in 2025. Expert teams, including officials from the central government, have already inspected the proposed site for the Mahananda barrage and will soon visit the Bagmati sites. The Mahananda barrage will be built at Tayabpur in Kishanganj district, which is expected to bring major relief to the flood-affected Seemanchal region. The two Bagmati barrages will be constructed at Dheng and Katoujha in Sitamarhi district.
Several districts are expected to benefit from these projects, including Sheohar, Sitamarhi, Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur, Khagaria, Purnea, Katihar and Kishanganj. These areas face repeated flooding every year, badly affecting farmers and local residents. Officials say the barrages will help control water flow during heavy rainfall and provide a reliable source of irrigation water during dry periods, which could improve farm output and livelihoods.
The central government had allocated Rs 11,500 crore in last year’s budget for flood control and irrigation projects, and this fund will be used for building the new barrages. At present, Bihar has three barrages — on the Gandak river at Valmiki Nagar, the Kosi river at Birpur and the Son river at Indrapuri. With the addition of the new structures, the total number of barrages in the state will rise to six. The water resources department said a detailed project report will be prepared within two months after the survey is completed, and construction work will begin soon after that.
