CM Nitish Kumar inaugurates six-lane Ganga bridge connecting Patna to north Bihar

Patna, June 23 (IANS) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, on Monday, inaugurated the worth Rs 5,000 crore much anticipated six-lane bridge over the Ganges river connecting Kacchi Dargah in Patna to Bidupur in Vaishali district.

The inauguration marks a major infrastructural milestone aimed at easing travel between south and north Bihar.

A grand event was organised in Patna to mark the occasion, which was attended by both Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, Water Resources Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, Union Minister Chirag Paswan, Patna Sahib MP Ravi Shankar Prasad, Bihar Assembly Speaker Nand Kishore Yadav, Road Construction Minister Nitin Nabin and several senior leaders, and top bureaucrats.

Constructed at a cost of Rs 5,000 crore, the bridge is poised to significantly reduce travel time and traffic congestion, particularly benefiting commuters between Patna and Vaishali, including the flood-prone Raghopur Diara region.

"I am very happy to say that the Kacchi Dargah-Bidupur six-lane Ganga Bridge has been inaugurated today. We were continuously working on this important project. I regularly inspected the construction and directed officials to expedite the process. It is satisfying to see this dream come true," said CM Nitish Kumar during the event.

Construction on the bridge began in 2016, and its completion is expected to offer year-round road connectivity to Raghopur and nearby regions that often face isolation during floods.

The area is represented by the Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav, and residents have long demanded improved road access to the capital.

The Kacchi Dargah–Bidupur Bridge will provide an alternate route to Mahatma Gandhi Setu, easing its traffic burden.

It offers direct and faster connectivity between Patna and north Bihar, including Vaishali district.

Apart from that, it will facilitate emergency medical access to premier hospitals like Patna Medical College and Hospital and Nalanda Medical College and Hospital, and promote the growth of agriculture, trade, and industry in the region.

Chief Minister Kumar emphasised the government's ongoing commitment to infrastructure development.

"We are continuously constructing high-quality roads and bridges across the state to make transportation easier and more efficient for everyone," he said.

The bridge is being viewed as a game-changer for regional development and a boost to Bihar's long-term connectivity and economic aspirations.

--IANS

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