Work on new bridge over Ganga from next year

PATNA: The work on the four-lane bridge parallel to the Mahatma Gandhi Setu — among the country’s top-three longest bridges — is all set to begin early next year with the Union ministry of road transport and highways initiating the bidding process for its construction across the Ganga connecting Patna and Hajipur.
The project is a part of PM Narendra Modi’s special package for Bihar, which he had announced prior to the assembly elections in the state in 2015. The total length of the new bridge from Zero Mile in Patna to Ramashish Chowk in Hajipur, including the approach road, is 14.5 kms. However, the length of the extradosed bridge structure will be 5.63kms.
“Total eight lanes will be available for people to travel between Patna and Hajipur across Ganga,” state road construction minister Nand Kishor Yadav said. He added that the bidding process for hiring firm(s) for the construction of the new bridge is likely to be completed in two months.
The new bridge, which will be located barely 38m from the existing Gandhi Setu, will be built at an estimated total cost of of Rs 2,926.42cr, with the civil expenses amounting to Rs 2411.50cr.
“The last date for submitting technical and financial bids by the interested firm (s) for construction of the bridge is October 3. Thereafter, the process of shortlisting of the firm will commence, followed by awarding contract for the project. We expect that work on the project will commence early, next year,” Nand Kishor told TOI on Thursday.
Giving the details on the approach road for the bridge, the minister said: “The length of the approach road towards Patna will be 3.38kms with one rail over bridge, two underpasses and a 1.6 km elevated road. Similarly, the length of approach road towards Hajipur will be nearly 5.5kms with a flyover and two underpasses.”
The project was given a nod by the Central Public Investment Board on August 1 last. “The administration approval for the project was already given by the Centre with the condition that bidding process will commence only after land-acquisition and clearance from forests department and state level environment impact assessment authority. The state government has already acquired 115acres of land for the project and the necessary clearances have also been given, following which the bidding process has now been initiated,” Kishor said.
The new bridge with a span of 242m is proposed to be constructed using the extradosed method that combines the main elements of a box girder and cable-stayed bridge, Kishor said.
The minister added that the firm selected for construction works will also look after the maintenance of the bridge for a period of 10 years from the completion of the work.