Patna: Bihar is set to receive a major infrastructure boost, with the Union Cabinet approving projects worth Rs 6,014 crore to improve rail and road connectivity across the state.
Chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Cabinet cleared two major initiatives — a Rs 3,822 crore four-lane road on the Sahibganj–Areraj–Bettiah section of NH-139W and a Rs 2,192 crore project to convert the Bakhtiyarpur–Rajgir–Tilaiya railway line into a double line.
The new road will link Patna to Bettiah and extend connectivity to districts including Vaishali, Muzaffarpur, East and West Champaran, while also facilitating access to the Nepal border. Officials said the project will slash travel time from Sahibganj to Bettiah from two and a half hours to one hour. It is also expected to strengthen the Buddhist circuit, with improved access to sites such as the Kesariya Stupa and Vishwa Shanti Stupa, boosting Bihar’s international tourism appeal.
The railway upgrade, covering four districts, will enhance connectivity to Rajgir, Nalanda and Pawapuri, directly benefiting more than 1,400 villages and over 1.3 million people. Together, the projects are expected to generate over 30 lakh man-days of direct and indirect employment.
Union ministers described the approvals as a step towards transforming Bihar’s transport network, with long-term benefits for trade, tourism and local economies.
