Patna: Kacchi Dargah-Bidupur bridge across the River Ganges has been completed and is awaiting inauguration, marking the final stage of one of Bihar’s largest road infrastructure projects. The Bihar government has requested the Prime Minister’s Office to schedule the inauguration, which is expected to take place in the last week of July.
Built at a cost of Rs 4,988.40 crore, the six-lane bridge is expected to strengthen road connectivity between North and South Bihar while reducing travel time across several districts.
A Major Corridor Across the Ganges
The project stretches 19.76 kilometres, comprising a 9.76-kilometre main bridge over the Ganges and nearly 10 kilometres of approach roads. The bridge is 32 metres wide and connects Kacchi Dargah on NH-30 in Patna with Kalyanpur Chaksikandar on NH-103 in Vaishali district.
A 4.57-kilometre section between Kacchi Dargah and Raghopur is already open to traffic. With the remaining work completed, preparations are under way to make the full corridor operational after its formal inauguration.
Project Began in 2017
Construction of the bridge began in 2017. The project witnessed multiple extensions before reaching completion.
According to the state government, around Rs 3,000 crore for the project was financed through a loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), while the remaining expenditure of about Rs 2,000 crore was met by the Bihar government.
Improved Connectivity for North Bihar
Once operational, the bridge is expected to improve road connectivity between Patna and districts including Vaishali, Muzaffarpur, Samastipur, Darbhanga, Sitamarhi, Madhubani, East Champaran, and the Seemanchal region.
The project is also expected to reduce pressure on the Mahatma Gandhi Setu, which currently carries a significant volume of traffic across the Ganges.
Officials believe the new corridor will allow vehicles travelling from Jharkhand and South Bihar to reach North Bihar directly without passing through congested routes in Patna, improving freight movement and supporting industrial activity.
Bihar’s Ninth Road Bridge Over the Ganges
With its commissioning, the Kacchi Dargah-Bidupur bridge will become Bihar’s ninth road bridge across the Ganges.
At present, eight road bridges over the river are operational, while construction is under way on three additional Ganges bridges in Patna. The state government says these projects are expected to further strengthen Bihar’s transport network and support regional economic growth.
