Patna: The long-delayed four-lane Patna-Gaya-Dobhi (National highway-83) is likely to be opened for traffic in January 5 by Union minister of road transport and highways (MoRTH) Nitin Gadkari.
Along with inauguration of the NH-83, which went for re-tendering in 2015 after the previous construction company pulled out citing financial inability, Gadkari is likely to open and lay the foundation work of various NH projects, costing more than ₹20,000 crore at a function likely in Darbhanga, said a senior MoRTH officer.
Also Read: Patna-Gaya-Dobhi road to be complete by March next year: NHAI
Officials said that the minister is set to lay the foundation stone for 230-km-long Amas-Darbhanga access controlled expressway, and complete the formality for start of work on Adilbari (Sonpur)-Manikpur (East Champaran) and Siwan-Masrakh and Siwan-Hatauna road. Adilbari-Manikpur road is part of the Buddist Circuit, while Siwan-Masrakh and Hatauna roads form part of the Ramayan circuit.
The minister is also likely to inaugurate two major roads, Galgalia-Thakurganj-Bahadurganj NH (328E) and Purnia-Katihar-Narenpur NH (131A) along with laying the foundation stone for a 3-km long four-lane stretch of Patna-Saristabad-Nathupur, which connects Patna-Gaya-Dobhi road with Patna bypass near Saristabad.
Also Read: Stage set for building 1st eway in Bihar; NHAI to do feasibility study
Initially approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) in 2015, the Patna-Gaya-Dobhi road is likely to cost around ₹5,519 crore. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) had set March 2023 as the final deadline to complete the project, but it lingered on for want of clearance from the Indian railways for building rail over bridges at Gaya.
The RCD officer said that more than 95% work of NH-83 is complete, while construction of the ROB is in final stages. Once it is complete, road journey from Patna to Dobhi could be a three-hour affair. Currently, it takes more than three hours to reach Gaya from Patna due to work going on at various patches.
Also Read: Adani Group moots ₹8,700-Cr additional investment plans in Bihar
The Patna high court had also taken serious note of the inordinate delay in construction of Patna-Gaya-Dobhi road and hence begun monitoring of all NH works under execution in Bihar. Then chairperson of the NHAI was also summoned by the high court and directed to complete the ongoing projects on priority basis.
