NHAI proposes Gorakhpur-Siliguri expressway, awaits Bihar’s nod

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has proposed the alignment of another expressway that would run from Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh to Siliguri, West Bengal via Bihar

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has proposed the alignment of another expressway that would run from Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh to Siliguri, West Bengal via Bihar. The authority would prepare the detailed project report once the greenfield alignment is approved by the Bihar government, said a senior officer familiar with the proposal.

(File photo)

Chief general manager, NHAI, Patna regional office, Sadre Alam said that they had submitted the portion of alignment of Gorakhpur-Siliguri expressway, passing through various districts of Bihar, to the road construction department (RCD) for discussion and approval early this month. “A formal discussion with senior RCD officials is, however, awaited,” said Alam.

RCD minister Nitin Nabin said the proposal to build a new 650km expressway from Gorakhpur to Siliguri was in the initial stage of implementation. “It is great to know that the Union ministry of road transport and highways has been keen to boost road infrastructure in the state. If the proposal gets the Centre’s approval, the people of Bihar would benefit from it. It would ease the vehicular traffic from east to west part of the state,” said Nabin.

A senior officer of NHAI said that around 450km stretch of the proposed expressway of four/six-lane configuration would pass through Bihar. It will be part of the Bharatmala project.

“As proposed, the road will enter Bihar from Gopalganj and exist from Kishanganj, crisscrossing Siwan, Chapra, Muzaffarpur, Sitamarhi, Madhubani, Supaul, Saharsa and Purnia. The NHAI has gone ahead with the proposal after the MoRTH gave its nod to the project,” said the officer, adding that estimated spending on this project could be around ₹6000 crore.

Once executed, this would be the fourth expressway that would benefit the people of Bihar. Earlier, the RCD started land acquisition for the Amas-Darghanga expressway, while the proposal for two expressways—from Buxar to Bhagalpur, and from Raxaul to Kolkata via Patna - are under different stages of clearance with the Central government.

RCD officials said that the Gorakhpur-Siliguri expressway proposal might be discussed during the meeting of state RCD minister Nabid with Central minister Nitin Gadkari in New Delhi on December 6. They said that the state government has also listed the issues affecting the construction of Munger-Mirjachauki via Bhagalpur highways and strengthening of Ram-Janki Path (from Sitamarhi to Janakpur in Nepal), which is part of the Ramayana Circuit in Bihar.