PM Modi to inaugurate Rs 1,870 cr Aunta–Simaria 6-lane Ganga bridge during Bihar visit

Patna, Aug 21 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Bihar’s Gaya, Patna and Begusarai districts on August 22 and during the visit, he will inaugurate the much-awaited Aunta–Simaria 6-lane bridge project built over the Ganga River in Begusarai.

The project, constructed at a cost of over Rs 1,870 crore, includes an 8.15 km stretch on NH-31 and a 1.86 km long, 6-lane bridge parallel to the old Rajendra Setu.

The bridge is expected to transform connectivity between Mokama (Patna district) and Begusarai, reducing heavy vehicle detours of over 100 kms.

For years, people had been relying on the dilapidated two-lane Rajendra rail-cum-road bridge, which was unable to handle heavy traffic movement and load.

The new bridge will not only ease congestion but also cut travel time significantly for vehicles moving between North Bihar’s Begusarai, Supaul, Madhubani, Purnea, Araria and other districts and South Bihar’s Sheikhpura, Nawada, Lakhisarai districts, apart from Patna.

Officials said the bridge would boost regional trade and economic growth, especially in North Bihar, which is heavily dependent on South Bihar and Jharkhand for raw materials.

The district administration and police have put in place tight security arrangements for the Prime Minister’s visit.

On August 22, between 10 A.M. and 3 P.M., movement of all vehicles will be prohibited on the Aunta–Simaria bridge as well as the Rajendra Setu.

The route from NTPC to Aunta has been declared a “Red Zone” during the PM’s event.

The PM will arrive in Gaya around 11 A.M. and participate in a major event at Magadh University, Bodh Gaya.

He will address a massive public gathering on the university campus.

During the program, he will inaugurate and lay the foundation stones of multiple development projects worth over Rs 12,000 crore, covering sectors like railways, roads, and higher education.

He will also flag off the Gaya–New Delhi Amrit Bharat Express, giving a major push to railway connectivity in the region.

After Gaya, the Prime Minister will travel to Mokama, where he will inaugurate the Aunta–Simaria road bridge over the Ganga River.

The district administrations of Gaya, Patna and Begusarai have made elaborate security and traffic arrangements for the Prime Minister’s visit.

Officials said the projects to be launched by the Prime Minister are expected to give a major boost to Bihar’s infrastructure, trade and employment opportunities, particularly in regions that have long faced challenges of connectivity and migration.

--IANS

ajk/rad