Buxar power plant, six-lane Aunta-Simaria bridge: PM Modi inaugurates key projects in Bihar

Boost to Bihar's infrastructure

In a significant development for Bihar's infrastructure, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Aunta-Simaria bridge project on NH-31.

A 8.15 km long marvel that includes a 1.86 km long, 6-lane bridge over the Ganga River. Constructed at a cost of over Rs 1,870 crore, this bridge promises to revolutionize connectivity between Mokama in Patna and Begusarai, ANI reported.

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.

It will boost economic growth in the adjoining areas, especially in North Bihar, which are dependent on South Bihar and Jharkhand for getting necessary raw material. It will also provide better connectivity to the famous pilgrimage place of Simaria Dham, which is also the birthplace of famous poet Late Ramdhari Singh Dinkar, ANI reported.

Prime Minister Modi also inaugurated the four-lane Bakhtiyarpur to Mokama section of NH-31, worth around Rs 1,900 crore, which will ease congestion, reduce travel time, and enhance passenger and freight movement.

Further, improvement to the two-lane with paved shoulders of Bikramganj-Dawath-Nawanagar-Dumraon section of NH-120 in Bihar will improve connectivity in rural areas, providing new economic opportunities for the local population.

Other important projects

During his Bihar visit, Prime Minister Modi also flagged off two trains - Amrit Bharat Express between Gaya and Delhi which will improve passenger convenience with modern facilities, comfort, and safety and Buddhist Circuit Train between Vaishali and Koderma which will give a boost to tourism and religious travel across key Buddhist sites in the region.

The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for a series of urban infrastructure projects worth around Rs 1,260 crore. These include the STP and Sewerage Network at Daudnagar in Aurangabad, and Jehanabad; STP and interception and diversion works at Barahiya in Lakhisarai, and Jamui. Under AMRUT 2.0, he laid the foundation stone of Water Supply Projects at Aurangabad, Bodhgaya and Jehanabad.

These projects will provide clean drinking water, modern sewerage systems, and improved sanitation thereby improving health standards and quality of life in the region.

In a major boost to health infrastructure, PM Modi also inaugurated the Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre at Muzaffarpur.

The centre includes advanced Oncology OPD, IPD wards, operation theatres, modern lab, blood bank, and a 24-bed ICU (Intensive Care Unit) and HDU (High Dependency Unit). This state-of-the-art facility will provide advanced and affordable cancer care to patients in Bihar and neighbouring states, reducing the need to travel to distant metros for treatment.

(With inputs from agencies)