Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has urged for the rapid completion of the four-lane Patna-Gaya-Dobhi highway project following his inspection of its current status. Upon its completion, the highway is anticipated to reduce the travel time between Patna and Gaya to merely two hours, greatly enhancing connectivity.
During his visit, Kumar made a stop at the Basuhar bridge in Punpun while heading to Jehanabad to personally evaluate the ongoing work. He was accompanied by key officials, including Minister-in-Charge Ashok Chaudhary, Principal Secretary of Road Construction Pratyaya Amrit, and Chief Minister’s Principal Secretary Deepak Kumar.
National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) Project Director Ghulam Qadir indicated that the Chief Minister has directed them to open one lane of the railway overbridge by September 30, with plans for the entire highway to be fully operational by the end of December.
The Patna-Gaya-Dobhi highway project, which commenced in 2010, has encountered several delays, resulting in an increase in costs from the original Rs 16 billion to over Rs 50 billion. The highway will span 39 km in Patna, 44 km in Jehanabad, and 44.22 km in Gaya, connecting Patna to the Grand Trunk Road near Dobhi and traversing important regions such as Jehanabad and Gaya.
Despite previous setbacks, including the withdrawal of construction firms and challenges in land acquisition, over 90% of the work is now finished, with the remaining tasks expected to be completed by December. The project gained renewed impetus after the Patna High Court began overseeing its progress.
Once operational, the highway will ease traffic congestion, provide a direct link to the Patna bypass, and significantly facilitate travel for pilgrims visiting Gaya, a major religious site.
