New Delhi: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Friday approved the construction of the 4-lane access-controlled greenfield and brownfield Patna-Arrah-Sasaram corridor starting from Patna and stretching across 120 km to Sasaram in Bihar.
The project will be developed on Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM) at a total capital cost of Rs 3,712.40 crore, according to a statement issued after the CCEA meeting.
HAM is a public-private partnership (PPP) model designed to revive private sector participation in road infrastructure projects. The government provides 40 per cent of the project cost as an annuity payment to the private developer over the concession period. The private developer raises the remaining 60 per cent of the project cost through debt or equity.
Currently, connectivity between Sasaram, Arrah and Patna relies on existing State Highways (SH-2, SH-12, SH-81 and SH-102), which takes 3 to 4 hours due to heavy traffic congestion, including in Arrah town. A greenfield corridor, along with 10.6 km of upgradation of existing brownfield highway, will be developed to reduce the increasing congestion, catering to the needs of densely built-up areas in places like Arrah, Grahini, Piro, Bikramganj, Mokar and Sasaram, the statement said.
The project alignment integrates with major transport corridors, including NH-19, NH-319, NH-922, NH-131G, and NH-120, providing seamless connectivity to Aurangabad, Kaimur, and Patna.
Additionally, the project will also provide connectivity to two airports (Patna’s Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport and upcoming Bihta airport), and four major railway stations (Sasaram, Arrah, Danapur, Patna), and one Inland Water Terminal (Patna), and enhance direct access to Patna Ring Road, facilitating faster movement of goods and passengers.
Upon completion, the Patna-Arrah-Sasaram Corridor will play a pivotal role in regional economic growth, improving connectivity between Lucknow, Patna, Ranchi, and Varanasi. The project aligns with the government’s vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat, enhancing infrastructure while generating employment and fostering socio-economic development in Bihar.
The project will also generate 48 lakh man days of employment, and will open new avenues of growth, development and prosperity in developing regions in and around Patna, the statement added.
(IANS)
