Ahead of Diwali, PM’s Rs 3,700-Crore Bonanza for Bihar

Patna: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday laid foundation stones for highway projects and water treatment plants in Mokama town, calling it his Rs 3,700-crore Diwali gift to the state.

After the centenary celebrations at the Patna University, PM Modi went to Makoma where he inaugurated various schemes. Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, his deputy Sushil Modi, and union ministers Ram Vilas Paswan, Nitin Gadkari and Giriraj Singh were also present.

The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for four road and bridge projects, including a six-lane bridge over Ganga. He also launched two Sewage Treatment Plants (STP) in Patna.

The STPs with a total capacity of 140 million liters daily (MLD) are estimated to cost Rs 738.14 crore.

Union road construction and water resources minister Nitin Gadkari said that a master plan had been prepared to look after the problem of floods in Ganga basin.

He assured that every scheme announced under special package by the PM would be completed on time. He mentioned various road schemes on which the work has started. It includes NH30 – Patna-Koilwar, NH 84- Koilwar – Bhojpur, NH31- Bakhtiyarpur- Mokama, Fatuha – Harnaut, NH104- Sitamarhi – Jainagar , NH 106- Birpur- Bihpur, Bettiah- Kushinagar highway, Patna – Gaya – four-lane, Bhagalpur bypass, Munger – approach road/bridge and Gaya – Nalanda – four-lane road.

Gadkari said that a decision has been taken to build Greenfield highway between Lucknow to Balia on which highest speed would be 120 km/hours. “It can be extended to Patna, but the required land has to be acquired first by the chief minister. I request Nitish Kumar to do the needful,” he said. Speaking after him, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar assented to his demand, saying that his government would complete land acquisition for the project.

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar requested to build a new bridge parallel to Vikramshila bridge in Bhagalpur and a direct road between Buxar to Banaras. “Kashi is closer to Buxar, which is the Lok Sabha constituency of our Prime Minister. So, connecting the two cities is very important,” he said.