Patna (Bihar) [India], August 23 : Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday said the inauguration and foundation stone-laying of 14 projects worth over Rs 13,000 crore, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will give North and South Bihar modern road connectivity, while also boosting power, rail, health, housing and water supply infrastructure across the state.
In a post on X, Bihar CM wrote, "In today's event, the following were inaugurated: a 6-lane Ganga bridge over 8 kilometres long between Ounta (Mokama) and Simaria (Begusarai), the Buxar Thermal Power Plant, an STP and sewerage network in Munger under the Namami Gange program, the Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre in Muzaffarpur, the 4-lane section of NH-120 from Bakhtiyarpur to Mokama, and the improvement work of a 2-lane paved road on the Bikramganj-Dawath-Nawanagar-Dumraon section of NH-120 in Bihar state."
https://x.com/NitishKumar/status/1958837691241660755
Alongside these inaugurations, Kumar said that foundation stones were also laid for several upcoming projects. "Additionally, the foundation stones were laid for I-D and STP works in Daudnagar (Aurangabad), Barhiya (Lakhisarai), and Jamui, water supply projects in Aurangabad, Bodhgaya, and Jehanabad, and sewerage network and treatment plant projects in Aurangabad and Jehanabad," Bihar CM said.
In addition to infrastructure, new rail services were also introduced. CM Kumar added, "The Amrit Bharat Express between Gaya Ji and Delhi and the Buddhist Circuit Train between Vaishali and Koderma were flagged off."
"Through these projects, North and South Bihar will gain modern road connectivity. Increased energy security will make Bihar self-reliant, the development of rail and road networks will promote religious tourism and local businesses, cleanliness in the Ganga River will improve, pollution will decrease, and the people of the state will benefit from high-quality healthcare services," he said.
In line with his commitment to improving connectivity, the Prime Minister inaugurated the 8.15 km long Aunta - Simaria bridge project on NH-31, including the 1.86 km long 6 lane Bridge on the river Ganga, constructed at a cost of over Rs 1,870 crore. It will provide direct connectivity between Mokama in Patna and Begusarai.
The bridge has been constructed parallel to an old 2-lane dilapidated rail-cum-road bridge "Rajendra Setu" which is in poor condition forcing heavy vehicles to re-route. The new bridge will reduce this extra travel distance of more than 100 km for the heavy vehicles travelling between North Bihar (Begusarai, Supaul, Madhubani, Purnea, Araria etc) and South Bihar areas (Sheikhpura, Nawada, Lakhisarai etc). It will also help reduce issues of traffic jams in other parts of the region due to the detour which these vehicles were forced to take.