Patna: The Bihar government has dismissed reports claiming changes in the alignment of the Patna-Purnia Expressway, calling them misleading and factually incorrect.
Pankaj Kumar Pal, Secretary of the Road Construction Department, said no alteration has been made to the expressway’s approved route and that land acquisition work in Samastipur district is being conducted strictly according to the original alignment.
He clarified that the stretch between kilometre 48 and kilometre 53 remains unchanged and that all ongoing acquisition proceedings are being carried out under the alignment approved for the project.
Alignment Approved After Technical Evaluation
According to the department, the expressway’s route was finalised after detailed assessment of socio-economic factors and technical feasibility in line with prescribed guidelines.
The alignment was approved by the designated committee after extensive deliberations. The committee includes the Secretary of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, the Chairman of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), and the Director General of NHAI.
Final Clearance Granted in January 2025
Pal said the alignment received final approval on January 15, 2025, following which statutory notifications were issued for affected villages and land parcels in Samastipur district.
Rejecting allegations that the alignment between kilometre 48 and kilometre 53 was altered under external influence, he said such claims have no basis in fact and do not reflect the ground reality.
The secretary also clarified that the main building of KSR College is completely safe and is not affected by the project alignment.
Travel Time to Seemanchal Expected to Fall Sharply
The Patna-Purnia Expressway is expected to significantly improve connectivity between central and eastern Bihar. Once operational, the corridor is projected to reduce travel time between Patna and the Seemanchal region to around three hours.
Officials say the project will play a key role in boosting economic activity across the state by improving freight movement and passenger travel. The expressway is also expected to provide a faster route for vehicles heading towards West Bengal and Assam, strengthening regional connectivity in eastern India.
