Cabinet approves Upgradation of the Khagaria-Purnea Section of NH-31 and NH-231 to the 4-Lane Standard (143. 529 kms) at a cost of Rs.3936.05 crore in Bihar on BOT (Toll) Mode

**Executive Summary** The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the upgradation of the 143.529 km Khagaria-Purnea section of NH-31 and NH-231 in Bihar to a 4-lane standard. This project, executed on a Build-Operate-Transfer (Toll) mode at a cost of Rs. 3,936.05 crore, aims to improve regional mobility, road safety, and multi-modal integration. Key components include a 6.729 km Greenfield Purnea Bypass and connectivity to major economic and logistics nodes. **Key Points / Main Content** **Project Specifications and Cost** * **Scale:** Upgradation of 143.529 km of roadway to 4-lane standards along the Patna-Purnea corridor. * **Total Capital Cost:** Rs. 3,936.05 crore, consisting of Rs. 2,467.77 crore in civil costs and Rs. 290.16 crore for land acquisition. * **Implementation Model:** The project will be developed under the BOT (Toll) mode. * **Bypass Construction:** Includes a new 6.729 km Greenfield Bypass for Purnea City to alleviate urban congestion. **Infrastructure and Connectivity Goals** * **Operational Improvements:** Designed to rectify severe geometric deficiencies and sharp curves, increasing average travel speeds and reducing travel time to approximately two hours. * **Multi-modal Integration:** Connects 11 logistics nodes, including four major railway stations (Khagaria, Bhagalpur, Katihar, Purnia) and Purnea Airport. * **Economic Node Linkage:** Provides seamless access to five PM Gati-Shakti Economic Nodes, including one textile cluster, two Mega Food Parks, and two Fishing Seafood Parks. * **Road Network Integration:** Facilitates connection with four National Highways (NH-27, NH-13, NH-131A, NH-231) and two State Highways (SH-95, SH-77). **Socio-Economic Benefits** * **Employment:** Projected to generate 32.59 lakh person-days of direct employment and 40.55 lakh person-days of indirect employment. * **Efficiency:** Expected to improve fuel efficiency and reduce vehicle operating costs for commuters and commercial transport. **Impact Analysis** **Commuters and Transporters** **Impact:** Users will experience significantly reduced travel times, enhanced road safety, and lower vehicle operating costs. **Action Required:** Users will be required to pay tolls as per the BOT (Toll) framework established for the section. **Local Industry and Logistics Providers** **Impact:** Industries (Textiles, Food Processing, Fishing) will benefit from faster, seamless movement of goods to economic and logistics nodes. **Action Required:** Businesses should align their supply chain and logistics planning with the improved corridor capacity and multi-modal connections. **Labor Force and Contractors** **Impact:** The project creates substantial direct and indirect employment opportunities (over 73 lakh person-days total) in the Bihar region. **Action Required:** Local labor and contractors must engage with the project implementation phases to fulfill the direct and indirect work requirements. **Government and District Authorities** **Impact:** Authorities in Khagaria, Bhagalpur, Katihar, and Purnia will see reduced congestion in built-up areas and enhanced regional development. **Action Required:** District administrations must facilitate the land acquisition process and monitor the project’s progress to ensure timely completion.

Key Entities Referenced