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national Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has initiated the bidding process for four ambitious four-lane projects, including Patna-Gaya-Dobhi road and Ara-Mohania road. 

According to state road construction minister Nand Kishor Yadav, contractors have also been selected for Patna-Gaya-Dobhi project, which is pending for several years now.

 The total length of the national highways to be widened into four lanes under the four projects is around 392km. The four projects entail an expenditure of Rs 7,640.35 crore, the minister said.

 

He also elaborated  on the 119.83km-long Ara-Mohania project, mentioning, It is a strategic project with regard to road connectivity for people going from Patna to Varanasi and other places in neighboring Uttar Pradesh.

 The four-lane connectivity will reduce travel time and distance between Ara town and Mohania, where the road connects the golden quadrilateral highway.

 

As per a statement issued by the RCD minister, NHAI has divided Ara-Mohania project in two packages – package 1 (59.03km) and package 2(60.80km). Overall, Rs 1231.11 crore would be spent to execute the project.

 

The 127.22km-long Patna-Gaya-Dobhi project has been stuck in limbo after the contractor – IL&FS Engineering and Construction Limited – left the project midway more than a year ago. Sources said work has not been completed in more than 20% of the entire stretch of the road even after seven years of the launch of the project.

The matter has also gone to Patna high court and state government. 

However, officials said new contractors have been selected for ensuring completion of the project in not more than two-and-a-half years. 

According to the minister, land acquisition has almost been completed for the entire stretch of Patna-Gaya-Dobhi road and fresh concessionaires have been selected by NHAI through re-tendering.

Like Ara-Mohania road, Patna-Gaya road is also being executed in three packages – package 1 (39km), package 2 (44km) and package 3 (44.22km) – with an estimated expenditure of Rs1,751.22 crore.

On Rajauli-Bakhtiyarpur project, the RCD minister said the 98.12km-long road is the key for people going from Patna to Ranchi via Nawada. It will also improve the road- connectivity from Patna to northeastern states via Mokama and Purnia. NHAI has initiated the bidding process for this project, the minister added.

Another project mentioned by the RCD minister was 47.4km-long Narainpur- Purnia four-lane to be developed by NHAI.The minister said, it will provide connectivity to an upcoming bridge over the Ganga connecting Sahebganj in Jharkhand and Manihari in Bihar.