Cabinet approves railway and road projects worth over Rs 6000 crore for Bihar

New Delhi: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday approved development projects worth over Rs 6000 crore for Bihar.

In a significant development, the committee approved doubling of the Bakhtiyarpur – Rajgir – Tilaiya single railway line section (104 km) in Bihar with a total approximate cost of Rs. 2,192 crore.

The project, covering four districts in the state of Bihar, will increase the existing network of Indian Railways by approximately 104 km. The project section also provides rail connectivity to prominent destinations, such as Rajgir (Shanti Stupa), Nalanda, and Pawapuri, attracting pilgrims and tourists from across the country.

Multi-tracking projects will enhance connectivity to approximately. 1,434 villages and about 13.46 lakh population and two Aspirational Districts (Gaya and Nawada), the Ministry of Railways said.

#कैबिनेट ने बिहार में #बख्तियारपुर– #राजगीर– #तिलैया एकल रेलवे लाइन खंड के दोहरीकरण को मंज़ूरी दी

🚉परियोजना की अनुमानित लागत : ₹2,192 करोड़

🚉भारतीय रेलवे के मौजूदा नेटवर्क में 104 किलोमीटर की वृद्धि होगी

-केन्द्रीय मंत्री @AshwiniVaishnaw #CabinetDecisions @RailMinIndia pic.twitter.com/9cFURfFJQE

— PIB in Bihar (@PIB_Patna) September 24, 2025

This is an essential route for transportation of commodities such as coal, cement, clinker, fly ash etc. The capacity augmentation works will result in additional freight traffic of magnitude 26 MTPA (Million Tonnes Per Annum).

The Railways, being an environmentally friendly and energy-efficient mode of transportation, will help both in achieving climate goals and minimising logistics costs of the country, reduce oil import (5 Crore Litres) and lower CO2 emissions (24 Crore Kg), which is equivalent to the plantation of 1 (One) crore trees.

The enhanced line capacity will improve mobility, providing enhanced efficiency and service reliability for Indian Railways. The multi-tracking proposal will ease operations and reduce congestion, providing the much-needed infrastructural development on the busiest sections across Indian Railways. The projects align with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a New India, which aims to make the people of the region “Atmanirbhar” through comprehensive development in the area, thereby enhancing their employment/ self-employment opportunities.

The projects are planned in accordance with the PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan, with a focus on enhancing multimodal connectivity & logistic efficiency through integrated planning and stakeholder consultations. These projects will provide seamless connectivity for the movement of people, goods, and services. (ANI)

Cabinet approves construction of 4-lane on Sahebganj-Areraj-Bettiah section of the NH-139W

In another significant move, the committee also approved the construction of the 4-lane Sahebganj-Areraj-Bettiah section of the NH-139W in Bihar on Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM) with a total project length of 78.942 km and a total capital cost of Rs 3,822.31 crore, informed the government in an official statement issued.

➡️ #Cabinet approves Construction of 4-lane Sahebganj-Areraj-Bettiah section of the NH-139W in Bihar on Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM) with a total project length of 78.942 km worth  Rs.3,822.31 crore

➡️ The proposed four-lane greenfield project is to improve connectivity between… pic.twitter.com/4dWWazVPnJ

— PIB India (@PIB_India) September 24, 2025

The proposed four-lane greenfield project aims to improve connectivity between Bihar’s capital, Patna, and Bettiah, connecting the northern districts of the state, including Vaishali, Saran, Siwan, Gopalganj, Muzaffarpur, East Champaran, and West Champaran, up to the areas along the Indo-Nepal border.

The project will support the movement of long-distance freight traffic, improve access to key infrastructure and facilitate regional economic development by improving connectivity to agricultural zones, industrial areas, and cross-border trade routes.

The project will connect seven PM Gati Shakti economic Nodes, six Social Nodes, eight Logistic Nodes, nine Major Tourism and Religious Centers by improving access to key heritage and Buddhist tourist sites including the Kesariya Buddha Stupa (Sahebganj), Someshwarnath Mandir (Areraj), Jain Mandir and Vishwa Shanti Stupa (Vaishali), and Mahavir Temple (Patna), thereby strengthening the Buddhist circuit and international tourism potential of Bihar.

The NH-139W has been planned to provide high-speed connectivity to alternate routes that are presently congested and geometrically deficient, passing through built-up areas. It will serve as an important link to NH-31, NH-722, NH-727, NH-27, and NH-227A.

The proposed greenfield alignment will support average vehicular speeds of 80 km/h, compared to the design speed of 100 km/h. This will reduce the overall travel time between Sahebganj and Bettiah, from 2.5 hours to 1 hour, compared to existing alternatives, while offering safe, fast and uninterrupted connectivity for both passenger and freight vehicles.

The proposed project with length of 78.94 km will generate close to 14.22 lakh man-days of direct employment and 17.69 lakh man-days of indirect employment. The project will also create additional employment opportunities due to increased economic activity in the vicinity of the proposed corridor.

(With inputs from ANI)