Patna: The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has approved the alignment of the Patna-Purnia and Gorakhpur-Siliguri expressways, paving the way for the next phase of development, which includes land acquisition and the preparation of a detailed project report (DPR).
According to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), the process of acquiring land and drafting the DPR for both projects will be carried out simultaneously. A total of 13 districts will be affected by land acquisition.
Both expressways will be constructed as greenfield projects, requiring large-scale land acquisition. The Patna-Purnia Expressway, spanning 282 km, will require land acquisition with a width of 90 metres. This will affect Vaishali, Samastipur, Darbhanga, Saharsa, and Madhepura districts. Authorities aim to complete the land acquisition within the next six months.
Similarly, the Gorakhpur-Siliguri Expressway will stretch 568 km, with 417 km passing through Bihar. The project will require land acquisition with a width of 100 metres in West Champaran, East Champaran, Sheohar, Sitamarhi, Madhubani, Supaul, Araria, and Kishanganj districts.
To oversee the process, district magistrates of the affected areas have been instructed to form the Competent Authority for Land Acquisition, which will manage compensation distribution and determine land rates based on its classification.
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways is set to issue a tender for appointing a DPR consultant, ensuring that land acquisition and project planning progress simultaneously.
