Cabinet clears 4-lane highway, rail line projects in poll-bound Bihar

The Cabinet has cleared two big projects in Bihar-doubling of the Bakhtiyarpur-Rajgir-Tilaiya rail line and building a 4-lane Sahebganj-Areraj-Bettiah highway to boost travel and trade

The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday approved several major infrastructure projects aimed at improving connectivity and boosting employment. The decisions include railway line expansion in Bihar, highway development, a productivity-linked bonus for railway employees and a comprehensive maritime package.

 

Doubling of Bakhtiyarpur-Rajgir-Tilaiya railway line

 

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved the doubling of the Bakhtiyarpur-Rajgir-Tilaiya single railway line section in Bihar. The 104-km project will cost around ₹2,192 crore and cover four districts.

 

The project is expected to improve connectivity to tourist and religious destinations like Rajgir, Nalanda, and Pawapuri, which attract pilgrims from across India. It will also provide better access for about 1,434 villages, benefiting nearly 1.34 million people, including those in aspirational districts Gaya and Nawada.   

 

 

  The upgraded line will play a crucial role in transporting coal, cement, clinker, and fly ash. It is expected to handle an additional freight traffic of 26 million tonnes annually. The project will also help India reduce oil imports by saving 50 million litres of fuel and cut carbon emissions by 240 million kg, equivalent to planting 10 million trees.

 

By reducing congestion, the enhanced rail capacity will improve efficiency and service reliability. The project supports the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan and aligns with the government’s vision of “Atmanirbhar Bharat”, creating jobs and boosting regional development.

 

Green signal for Sahebganj-Areraj-Bettiah highway

 

The Cabinet also approved the construction of a four-lane greenfield highway along the Sahebganj-Areraj-Bettiah section of NH-139W in Bihar. The 78.94-km stretch will be developed under the Hybrid Annuity Mode at a cost of ₹3,822 crore.

 

The new highway will connect Patna with Bettiah, improving links to districts such as Vaishali, Saran, Muzaffarpur, East and West Champaran, and areas near the Indo-Nepal border. It will also strengthen trade routes and agricultural supply chains while reducing travel time between Sahebganj and Bettiah from 2.5 hours to just one hour.

 

The project is expected to generate over 3 million man-days of direct and indirect employment. It will also enhance tourism by improving access to sites such as Kesariya Buddha Stupa, Vaishali’s Shanti Stupa, and Mahavir Temple in Patna.   

 

Productivity bonus for railway employees

 

Recognising the performance of railway staff, the Cabinet approved a Productivity Linked Bonus (PLB) equivalent to 78 days’ wages for 1.091 million railway employees. The total outlay is about ₹1,865 crore.

 

₹69,725 crore package for maritime sector

 

In a major push to shipbuilding and maritime capacity, the Cabinet approved a ₹69,725 crore package with a four-pillar strategy. The measures include extending the Shipbuilding Financial Assistance Scheme till 2036, creating a ₹25,000 crore Maritime Development Fund, and launching the Shipbuilding Development Scheme with an outlay of nearly ₹20,000 crore.

 

The plan aims to add 4.5 million gross tonnes of shipbuilding capacity, generate 3 million jobs, and attract investments worth ₹4.5 trillion. It also includes a National Shipbuilding Mission and the establishment of an India Ship Technology Centre.