GAYA: Union road, transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari said in Rajya Sabha on Monday that the Bihar government has not made available 707 hectares of land for converting Patna-Gaya-Dobhi national highway-83 (NH-83) into a four-lane road, leading to delay in implementation of the project. The minister was responding to a question raised by Rajya Sabha MP from Bihar Sushil Kumar Modi regarding the status of NH-83.
“Although there is a target to widen the Patna-Gaya-Dobhi NH-83 by the end of 2022, little work on the 127km stretch has been completed so far due to non-availability of required land,” Gadkari said.
Of the 127km stretch, package 1 is from 0 to 39km, package 2 from 39 to 83km and package 3 from 83 to 127km. Land has to be acquired in 28 villages of Patna, Gaya and Jehanabad districts.
The Union minister said the work had started in 2015 with an initial grant of Rs 2,264 crore. “However, the work could not be completed on time due to non-acquisition of land and non-execution of work by the contractor. The work had restarted in November-December 2020 with a revised estimate of Rs 5519 crore,” he said.
Gadkari said the Centre, National Highways Authority of India and the Japan International Cooperation Agency will make funds available for the project.
In reply to another question raised by Modi, Union minister of chemicals and fertilizer D V Sadananda Gowda said production from Barauni Fertiliser Plant would start from December this year. The minister said 85% of work on Barauani fertiliser plant project had been completed till February 28.
The plant is being developed on 480 acres of land of Hindustan Fertilisers and Chemicals Limited by Hindustan Urvarak and Rasayan Limited. It will produce 12 lakh metric tonnes of urea per year.