Page 24 - English 01-15 March, 2026

COVER STORY | Pragati Platform

PROJECT

Patna Ganga Rail-cum-Road Bridge

Sanction Date PRAGATI Date Project Benefits
November 5, 2001 March 25, 2015 lThe Patna-Ganga Rail-cum-Road

Bridge (New Line), also known as

Cost Project Completion the JP Setu, provides a continuous
and high-capacity rail and road link
₹3,774 crore March 3, 2022 between South Bihar and North Bihar.

lThe construction of this
approximately 4.55-kilometre-long
Hurdles Land Acquisition, Compensation and combined railroad bridge relieved
Rehabilitation, and Full Project Implementation
years of pressure on older bridges.
Travel distances for road travellers
were reduced by approximately 20-25
PM’s Directives kilometres.
lDelays in the project have led to
a fivefold increase in costs. The lTraffic congestion within Patna city
land required for approaches on also decreased. In the rail sector, this
both sides of the railway line new bridge also eased the burden
should be handed over to the on older bridges. This enabled the
railways. Compensation should operation of more passenger and
be provided to the affected freight trains, helping transport
people soon. The rehabilitation approximately 27.8 million tonnes of
process should be completed cargo annually.
expeditiously. lTrain punctuality improved on
major rail routes connecting eastern,
lFollowing the directive, all
right-of-way issues related to northern, and northeastern India.
both the north and south rail Furthermore, direct connectivity
approaches were resolved by between the two banks of the
May 2015. Ganges increased access to
employment centres, educational
institutions, hospitals, and markets.
lThe new bridge reduced
Viksit Bharat... means a country where approximately 1.49 billion kilograms
there is speed and progress, where public of CO emissions, an environmental
2
interest is paramount... where government benefit equivalent to planting
schemes make life easier for the citizens. approximately 60 million trees.
Narendra Modi, Prime Minister

22 NEW INDIA SAMACHAR || March 1-15, 2026