250-km-long expressway to connect Nepal's Pashupatinath to Baidyanath Dham in Jharkhand: Bihar minister Dilip Kumar Jaiswal

Baba Baidyanath Dham temple in Deoghar district, Jharkhand (PTI/File image)

Bihar Road Construction Minister Dilip Kumar Jaiswal on Tuesday said a new expressway will be constructed from Nepal's Pashupatinath temple to Baidyanath Dham in Jharkhand.

Presenting the Road Construction Department's budget of over Rs 8,260 crore for 2026–27 in the assembly, Jaiswal said the proposed 250-km-long Pashupatinath-Baidyanath Dham High-Speed Corridor will start from Kathmandu, pass through Bhimnagar and Birpur, and enter India at Supaul district in Bihar.

"The corridor will then pass through Madhepura, Saharsa, Khagaria, Munger and Banka districts of Bihar before reaching Baidyanath Dham in Jharkhand's Deoghar district," he said.

The minister said a detailed proposal related to the project has been sent to the Centre for approval.

"The primary objective is to directly connect Nepal's revered Pashupatinath temple with Baidyanath Dham, promoting religious tourism and cultural exchange," he said.

The expressway would also boost economic activity in several districts of Bihar and Jharkhand and strengthen regional connectivity, he added.

The budget of the department was passed by voice vote amid a walkout by opposition legislators, who expressed dissatisfaction over the performance of the NDA-ruled state government.

Jaiswal said the state government is in the process of initiating construction work on the Raxaul-Haldia and Darbhanga-Amas expressways to develop a robust road connectivity network in eastern India.

He also informed the House that under the India-Nepal Border Road Project, a total road length of 554.08 km is being constructed in Bihar.

The minister said the completion of these projects will facilitate movement in border areas and provide significant benefits to the state in terms of trade, tourism and security.