The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has given the green light to upgrade the Khagaria-Purnea section of NH-31 and NH-231 in Bihar to a four-lane highway. This project, spanning 143.529 kilometers, will cost Rs 3,936.05 crore and will be executed under the Build-Operate-Transfer toll mode. The aim is to enhance connectivity, reduce travel time, and stimulate economic growth in key Bihar districts.
The initiative targets addressing significant geometric deficiencies, sharp curves, and congestion in built-up areas across Khagaria, Bhagalpur, Katihar, and Purnia districts. Additionally, a 6.729-kilometer Greenfield bypass around Purnea city will be constructed to alleviate urban traffic congestion and enhance traffic flow along the corridor. The upgraded highway is anticipated to enhance road safety, fuel efficiency, and vehicle operating costs, cutting travel time on the route to nearly two hours.
This corridor, forming part of the Patna-Purnea route, will offer seamless connectivity to crucial economic, transport, and logistics hubs in Bihar. It is set to bolster multi-modal connectivity by linking five PM Gati Shakti economic nodes, including a textile cluster, two mega food parks, and two fishing seafood parks. Moreover, the corridor will interconnect 11 logistics nodes, encompassing four major railway stations, one airport, four national highways, and two state highways, facilitating swifter movement of passengers and goods in the region.
The upgraded highway will link major transport routes such as NH-27, NH-13, NH-131A, and NH-231, in addition to state highways SH-95 and SH-77. Urban centers and transport nodes like Khagaria, Bhagalpur, Katihar, and Purnia, along with railway stations and the airport in these districts, will benefit from this development. The project is expected to create significant job opportunities, with an estimated 32.59 lakh person-days of direct employment and 40.55 lakh person-days of indirect employment during construction and related activities.
