Patna: In a landmark infrastructure push, the Bihar government has secured formal approval for the construction of a six-lane Greenfield Expressway connecting Raxaul on the Indo-Nepal border to Haldia Port in West Bengal. With this strategic corridor in place, the movement of goods and people between Bihar, Nepal, and the eastern seaboard will see an unprecedented boost, significantly enhancing both domestic and cross-border trade.
Expressway to Cover 12 Bihar Districts, Cut Travel Time Drastically
According to Mihir Kumar Singh, an IAS officer of 1993 batch and Additional Chief Secretary of the Road Construction Department, the expressway will span 585.35 km, out of which 408 km will lie within Bihar. It will pass through 12 districts: Raxaul, Motihari, Shivhar, Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur, Samastipur, Begusarai, Khagaria, Lakhisarai, Jamui, Banka, and Munger.
Once completed, the journey from Raxaul to Haldia – a critical route for Indo-Nepal trade – will take less than 10 hours, compared to nearly double that time today. The expressway has been designed for a top speed of 120 kmph, promising safer and smoother travel for commercial and passenger vehicles alike.
Major Infrastructure Components: Bridges, Interchanges, and a Ganga Crossing
The ₹39,000 crore project includes-
- 27 major bridges
- 201 minor bridges
- 51 interchanges
- A 4.5 km long bridge over the Ganga river near Birpur village in Begusarai district
These features will ensure uninterrupted, high-speed connectivity, avoiding the congested older routes that were deemed unsuitable for expansion or bypass construction.
An Artery for Economic Transformation
Calling the expressway a “path of economic transformation,” Mr. Singh said the project will be instrumental in realizing the state’s 2027 vision – ensuring that any location in Bihar is within 3 hours and 30 minutes’ drive from the capital, Patna.
He emphasized, “This is more than a road project – it’s a bold infrastructural leap that places Bihar prominently on the national and international trade map.”
Part of a Broader Expressway Network
The Raxaul–Haldia Expressway is one of five major expressways currently being developed in Bihar under a comprehensive connectivity enhancement plan–
- Raxaul–Haldia Expressway (585 km)
- Gorakhpur–Siliguri Expressway (417 km)
- Patna–Purnia Expressway (250 km)
- Buxar–Bhagalpur Expressway (300 km)
- Varanasi–Kolkata Expressway (161 km)
With these projects underway, Bihar is rapidly evolving into a key logistical and industrial hub in Eastern India.
