Date: 2025-09-24Category: Not ApplicableState: Union GovernmentCountry: India
Cabinet approves Construction of 4-lane Sahebganj-Areraj-Bettiah section of the NH-139W in Bihar on Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM) with a total project length of 78.942 km worth Rs.3,822.31 crore
On September 24, 2025, The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, approved the construction of the 4-lane Sahebganj-Areraj-Bettiah section of the NH-139W in Bihar, using the Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM). The project has a total length of 78.942 km and a capital cost of Rs.3,822.31 crore.
The project aims to improve connectivity between Patna and Bettiah, connecting North Bihar Districts up to the Indo-Nepal border. It will support long-distance freight traffic, improve access to key infrastructure, and facilitate regional economic development.
The project will connect seven PM Gati Shakti economic Nodes, six Social Nodes, eight Logistic Nodes, and nine Major Tourism and Religious Centers, strengthening the Buddhist circuit and international tourism potential of Bihar.
The NH-139W will provide high-speed connectivity to alternate routes and will serve as an important link to the NH-31, NH-722, NH-727, NH-27, and NH-227A. The greenfield alignment will support average vehicular speeds of 80 km/h against the design speed of 100 km/h, reducing travel time between Sahebganj and Bettiah from 2.5 hours to 1 hour. The project is expected to generate 14.22 lakh man-days of direct employment and 17.69 lakh man-days of indirect employment.
Key Entities Referenced
Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM): A model used for infrastructure project construction funding where the government and private entity share the project cost.
NH-139W: National Highway 139W, specifically the Sahebganj-Areraj-Bettiah section being constructed.
Sahebganj-Areraj-Bettiah: The section of NH-139W being constructed. This is a key location defining the project's geographical scope.
Bihar: The state in which the NH-139W project is located, defining the applicability.
Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs: The committee that approved the construction of the 4-lane Sahebganj-Areraj-Bettiah section of the NH-139W
Ministry of Road Transport & Highways
Cabinet approves Construction of 4-lane Sahebganj-
Areraj-Bettiah section of the NH-139W in Bihar on
Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM) with a total project
length of 78.942 km worth Rs.3,822.31 crore
Posted On: 24 SEP 2025 3:09PM by PIB Delhi
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today has
approved the Construction of 4-lane Sahebganj-Areraj-Bettiah section of the NH-139W in Bihar on Hybrid
Annuity Mode (HAM) with a total project length of 78.942 km and total capital cost of Rs.3,822.31 crore.
The proposed four-lane greenfield project is to improve connectivity between the State Capital
Patna with Bettiah connecting the North Bihar Districts of Vaishali, Saran, Siwan, Gopalganj,
Muzaffarpur, East Champaran and West Champaran up to the areas along the Indo-Nepal border.
The project will support the movement of long-distance freight traffic, improve access to key
infrastructure and facilitate regional economic development by improving connectivity to agricultural
zones, industrial areas, and cross-border trade routes.
The project will connect seven PM Gati Shakti economic Nodes, six Social Nodes, eight Logistic
Nodes, nine Major Tourism and Religious Centers by improving access to key heritage and
Buddhist tourist sites including the Kesariya Buddha Stupa (Sahebganj), Someshwarnath Mandir
(Areraj), Jain Mandir and Vishwa Shanti Stupa (Vaishali), and Mahavir Temple (Patna), thereby
strengthening the Buddhist circuit and international tourism potential of Bihar.
The NH-139W has been planned to provide a high-speed connectivity to alternate routes that are
presently congested and geometrically deficient, and pass-through built-up areas and will serve as
an important link to the NH-31, NH-722, NH-727, NH-27 and NH-227A.
The proposed greenfield alignment will support average vehicular speeds of 80 km/h against the
design speed of 100 km/h. This will reduce the overall travel time between Sahebganj and Bettiah,
from 2.5 hours to 1 hours, compared to existing alternatives, while offering safe, fast and
uninterrupted connectivity for both passenger and freight vehicles.
The proposed project with length of 78.94 km will generate close to 14.22 lakh man-days of direct
employment and 17.69 lakh man-days of indirect employment. The project will also induce
additional employment opportunities due to increase in economic activity in the vicinity of the
proposed corridor.
Project Alignment Map for Sahebganj-Areraj-Bettiah section of NH-139W***
MJPS/SKS
(Release ID: 2170574)