The Union Cabinet has approved the construction of two major projects worth Rs 60.14 billion. One is a four-lane, 78.94 km highway in Bihar’s Sahebganj-Areraj-Bettiah stretch under the hybrid annuity model (HAM). The project, which is estimated to cost Rs 38.22 billion, will reduce the existing six-hour travel time between Patna and Bettiah to just 2.5 hours. The other key approved project, worth roughly Rs 21.92 billion, is the multi-tracking project of the Bakhtiyarpur–Rajgir–Tilaiya single railway line project in poll-bound Bihar.
The proposed highway will improve connectivity between Patna with Bettiah connecting key districts including Vaishali, Saran, Siwan, Gopalganj, Muzaffarpur, East Champaran, and West Champaran to the Indo-Nepal border. Trade and commerce will be greatly enhanced by the new highway, which will connect eight logistic nodes, six social nodes, and seven PM Gati Shakti Economic Nodes. Furthermore, it will facilitate improved access to nine prominent tourism and religious centres, comprising of heritage and Buddhist sites.