Growth Gets Greenlit
New Delhi
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved two major infrastructure projects in Bihar with a combined outlay of Rs 7,616 crore.
The first project is the construction of a 4-lane greenfield Mokama–Munger section of the Buxar–Bhagalpur High-Speed Corridor. Built under Hybrid Annuity Mode, the 82.4 km stretch will cost Rs 4,447.38 crore. It will connect Mokama, Barahiya, Lakhisarai, Jamalpur, and Munger to Bhagalpur. This corridor is expected to boost industrial zones in Eastern Bihar, including the ordnance factory hub, locomotive workshop in Jamalpur, food processing units, and Bhagalpur’s textile sector led by Bhagalpuri silk.
The high-speed corridor will allow vehicles to travel at an average speed of 80 km/h, reducing travel time to 1.5 hours. It is also expected to generate nearly 14.83 lakh man-days of direct employment and 18.46 lakh man-days of indirect employment. Officials said the project will also encourage new job opportunities as industries expand around the corridor.
The second approval is for doubling the 177 km Bhagalpur–Dumka–Rampurhat railway line across Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal, at an estimated cost of Rs 3,169 crore. This expansion will ease congestion, improve efficiency, and enhance service reliability on one of Indian Railways’ busiest stretches.
Both projects aim to strengthen regional connectivity and promote economic growth in line with the government’s vision of “New India.” Authorities noted that improved infrastructure will not only aid industries but also make people in the region more self-reliant through better employment and self-employment opportunities.
