Bidding process for six-lane Digha road begins

PATNA: Bihar State Road Development Corporation Limited (BSRDCL) has initiated the bidding process for the six-lane road from R-Block to Digha with state-of-the-art facilities, including electronic signage and solar powered automatic street lights, road construction department principal secretary Amrit Lal Meena told TOI on Friday. He said the bidding process would be completed in 45 days.
In the first phase, the road with two service lanes will pass through Hartali Mor, Punaichak, Shivpuri, Mahesh Nagar, New Pataliputra Colony, Rajiv Nagar and Patliputra industrial area to Digha Haat. Four-lane flyovers are also proposed over three intersections at Hartali Mor, Shivpuri and Rajiv Nagar. Besides, noise barriers will be installed near educational institutions on the stretch with 4 to 14 metres wide green corridor. The estimated outlay for the project is Rs308 crore.

“We are planning to start work on the project from February and complete it in two years. It is a prestigious project for us and we will ensure that it is developed as one of the best roads in the country,” Meena said.

“We are developing this road as an expressway, as it will have six lanes of uninterrupted carriageway along with service lanes to provide connectivity to the local residents. It will also have several unique features like electronic signage to be controlled on the basis of vehicular movement,” a senior BSRDCL official preferring anonymity said.

He also said the project would be extended in the second phase up to the upcoming Ganga Path and JP Setu.

A railway line existed on this stretch to run one passenger train in the morning and evening daily. As very few passengers used to board the train, the state government requested the railways to transfer the land for an expressway corridor. Later, a Memorandum of Understand (MoU) was signed between Bihar government and railways on August 8, following which the railway tracks were removed.