Rs. 1,564B CRORE FOUR-LANE HW AND GANGA BRIDGE

Rs. 1,564B CRORE FOUR-LANE HW AND GANGA BRIDGE

30-JULY-ENG 23

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

ARA-------------------------There is great news for the people living in the border regions of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, who have long been separated by the flow of the Ganga River.

The long-awaited Mahuli Ganga Bridge project—set to revitalize cultural, social, and familial ties between Ara and Ballia—now appears to be moving towards actual implementation.

Tenders are likely to be opened on August 20. The project will be executed under the EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) mode. This four-lane highway will start from the Jeen Baba site (Bairia)—connecting National Highway-31 and the Greenfield Expressway—and pass through Khwaspur and Mahuli Ganga Ghat to link with National Highway-922 near Ara.

The most crucial component of the project is the permanent four-lane bridge to be constructed over the Ganges River at Mahuli Ganga Ghat; this is expected to provide a permanent solution to a decades-old connectivity problem.

Currently, the direct distance between Bairia and Ara is approximately 30 kilometers, but due to the Ganges River, people are forced to undertake long journeys of about 115 kilometers via Chhapra or around 100 kilometers via Buxar.

Once the permanent bridge is built, the distance between Ara and Bairia will revert to approximately 30 kilometers, and the distance to Patna will also decrease to around 90 kilometers. This will reduce travel time and costs while opening up new opportunities for trade, education, healthcare, and employment.

At present, a pontoon bridge is constructed at Mahuli Ganga Ghat for only six months of the year; it is dismantled as soon as the monsoon rains begin.

Consequently, thousands of people are forced to take long, alternative routes. Many villagers are still compelled to risk their lives by crossing the Ganges in boats.

Villager Gandhi Rai states that the construction of a permanent bridge will provide lasting relief from this hardship.

This project is not limited merely to road and bridge construction; it will also revitalize the centuries-old cultural, social, and economic ties between Ara and Ballia.

The people of both regions have long shared deep-rooted bonds—including marital alliances, trade activities, religious faith, and social interaction—which will be further strengthened by the construction of the permanent bridge.

Villager Jitendra Singh notes that this project will give a new direction to the development of border areas and provide better amenities to the local population.

The demand for a permanent bridge at Mahuli Ganga Ghat is long-standing. Former Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar had raised the demand for its construction in 2006, addressing the then Chief Minister Nitish Kumar at a public meeting in Jayaprakash Nagar. Now, with this ambitious NHAI project, that long-standing wish appears to be coming true.

Under the project, the selected agency is required to complete the construction work within four years. Subsequently, the agency will also be responsible for the maintenance of the road and bridge for a period of five years.

Land will be acquired from a total of 21 *mauzas* (revenue villages) across the Ara Sadar and Barhara administrative blocks for the Ara-Barhiya four-lane project. These include Nurpur Nauvarar, Nurpur, Kudariya, Jokhari, Pakdi, and Galchaur in the Barhara block.

Additionally, land will be acquired from the *mauzas* of Sarsivan, Basantpur, Bela, Mahuli, Mathurapur, Bahira Chak, Bhel Dumra, Pirauta, Makhdumpur, Yadavpur, Garea, Shobhi Dumra, Hadiv Alipur, and Singahi in the Ara Sadar block. This will pave the way for the construction of the four-lane road and the Mahuli Ganga Bridge.