Cabinet approves four-lane Sahebganj-Areraj-Bettiah section of the NH-139W in Bihar worth Rs 3,822.31 crore

New Delhi [India], September 24 (ANI): The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday 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, a press release from Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said.

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. (ANI)

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