Bihar's 6-Lane Mokama-Begusarai Bridge, Asia's Widest, To Open In April

The construction of the Mokama-Begusarai bridge across the Ganges River in Bihar is almost complete, with workers now giving it the finishing touches.

The bridge, which will link Aunta in Mokama to Simaria in Begusarai, is expected to be open to the public by April, Navbharat Times reported.

Over 92 per cent of the construction of Asia's largest six-lane cable-stayed bridge is finished. By the end of March, the project is likely to be completed and operational.

All about the Mokama-Begusarai Bridge

Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for this bridge in 2017, and SP Singla Building Private Limited, a division of Welspun Enterprises, began construction on August 11, 2018.

• Built at an estimated cost of Rs 1161 crore, the project, apart from the 1.865 km long bridge, also includes 6.285 km of approach roads, making it 8.15 km long altogether.
• The bridge will ease the travel between North and South Bihar, bringing cities such as Patna, Ara, Darbhanga, Buxar, Samastipur, Madhubani, Saharsa, Lakhisarai, Jamui, Sheikhpura, Nawada, and Gaya closer.
• One section of the bridge will open to traffic in April, while the other in May.
• The bridge will likely reduce the travel time between Patna and Begusarai by two to two-and-a-half hours. It will also divert traffic from other bridges, such as Mahatma Gandhi Setu and Rajendra Setu.
• The six-lane bridge is only one of many infrastructural projects on both banks of the Ganga that are almost finished. Among others are six vehicles under bridges (VUB), two rails under bridges (RUB), and a rail over bridge (ROB).
• The 34-metre-wide bridge will allow for easy mobility for cars, pedestrians, and cyclists, thanks to its three 13-meter lanes on either side and its 1.5-meter-wide walkways.
• It will also have lights for safe nighttime and evening travel.
• The new bridge is expected to enhance connectivity and foster regional economic growth.

The project was initially supposed to be finished in 42 months, but it was delayed for several reasons, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the Ganges' rising water levels.

It is currently on schedule after the initial deadlines of March 2022 and December 2023 were missed.