In pre-poll push, Cabinet clears Rs 10K cr for water, road infrastructure in Bihar

In a significant pre-poll push for Bihar, the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday cleared two major infrastructure projects worth Rs 9,994 crore for the state.

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The first project — the Kosi-Mechi intra-state linking — involves diverting surplus water from the Kosi River to irrigate the Mahananda basin. With an estimated cost of Rs 6,282 crore, the project aims to provide additional irrigation for 2,10,516 hectares annually during the kharif season across Araria, Purnea, Kishanganj and Katihar districts. It is expected to utilise 2,050 million cubic metres of surplus Kosi water through a new link canal, significantly boosting agricultural productivity in the region.

It has the potential to divert and utilise about 2,050 million cubic meter of surplus water of Kosi through the proposed link canal.

In another decision, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved the construction of four-lane access controlled greenfield and brownfield Patna-Arrah-Sasaram corridor starting from Patna to Sasaram (120.10 km) in Bihar. The project will be developed in hybrid annuity mode at a capital cost of Rs 3,712.40 crore.

Currently, travel between Sasaram, Arrah, and Patna relies on congested state highways, taking nearly four hours due to heavy traffic, particularly in Arrah town. The new corridor will include 10.6 km of upgraded existing highway to ease congestion in densely populated areas such as Arrah, Grahini, Piro, Bikramganj, Mokar and Sasaram, said Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw during the Cabinet briefing.

The highway will integrate with four major transport corridors—NH-19, NH-319, NH-922, NH-131G, and NH-120—enhancing connectivity to Aurangabad, Kaimur, and Patna. Additionally, it will provide seamless access to Patna’s Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport, the upcoming Bihita airport, four major railway stations (Sasaram, Arrah, Danapur Patna) and the Patna Inland Water Terminal. The project will also link to the Patna Ring Road, facilitating faster movement of goods and passengers.

Vaishnaw emphasised that the Patna-Arrah-Sasaram corridor would be a game-changer for regional economic growth, improving connectivity between Lucknow, Patna, Ranchi and Varanasi. The project aligns with the Atmanirbhar Bharat vision, generating 48 lakh man-days of employment while boosting Bihar’s socio-economic development.

These approvals are expected to significantly enhance irrigation and transportation infrastructure in the region.