The Union Cabinet has approved the upgradation of the Khagaria–Purnia section of NH-31 and NH-231 in Bihar into a four-lane highway. The 143.529-km project will be developed under the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) toll model at an estimated cost of Rs 3,936.05 crore.
According to the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), the project will help address key transportation challenges such as road bottlenecks, sharp curves, and traffic congestion in urban areas across the districts of Khagaria, Bhagalpur, Katihar, and Purnia. A new 6.729-km bypass will also be constructed to ease traffic movement around Purnia city.
Khagaria-Purnia travel time to be cut to around two hours
The government said the upgraded corridor will significantly improve average travel speeds and reduce journey time between Khagaria and Purnia to approximately two hours. The project is also expected to enhance road safety, fuel efficiency, and reduce vehicle operating costs, while promoting regional connectivity and socio-economic development.
The highway will serve as a vital link connecting major economic, social, and logistics hubs in Bihar. It will also integrate with Corridor-5 under the PM Gati Shakti initiative, connecting 11 logistics centres and supporting seamless multimodal transport for both passengers and freight.
Improved connectivity to airports, railway stations
The project forms part of the broader Patna-Purnia corridor and will connect with NH-27, NH-13, NH-131A, NH-231, as well as State Highways 95 and 77. It will provide improved access to the proposed Purnia Airport and key railway stations at Khagaria, Bhagalpur, Katihar, and Purnia.
In addition, the corridor will improve connectivity to one textile cluster, two mega food parks, and two fisheries/seafood parks, strengthening the region’s industrial and agricultural supply chains.
Cabinet clears other highway projects
The Cabinet also approved the upgradation of the Hiwarkhedi-Roshni and Ashapur-Rudhi sections of NH-347B, spanning a combined length of 125 km, at a cost of Rs 1,791 crore. Another approval was granted for the 109-km Deshgaon–Julwania section, which will be upgraded at an estimated cost of Rs 2,624 crore.
Further, the Cabinet approved the widening of the Armur-Jagtial-Mancherial section of NH-63 and the Jagtial-Karimnagar section of NH-563 in Telangana to four-lane standards, aimed at improving road infrastructure and connectivity in the state.
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