ADB approves USD 500 mn loan for river bridge in Bihar

Asian Development Bank (ADB) today said it has approved a USD 500 million loan to build a bridge across Ganges River in Bihar.
"The 9.8 km road bridge in Bihar will be India's longest river bridge and will provide vital transport link between the northern and southern parts of the state and neighbouring Nepal," ADB said in a statement.
The new bridge will make it easier for people to move between jobs and markets, particularly for poorer communities in the north wishing to travel to the state capital Patna, to the south of the river, it added.
The statement said that in all, the bridge is expected to benefit over nine million people.

According to a statement, the new bridge will span both channels of the Ganges and serve as an alternate route to the existing Ganga bridge, which has begun to deteriorate.
"Along with ADB's loan and USD 900,000 in technical assistance to improve bridge operation and management, the Bihar government will provide support equivalent to USD 215 million," the statement said.
The project is expected to be completed by December, 2020, it added.