The seventh bridge across the Ganga in Patna has received Cabinet approval

 The seventh bridge across the Ganga in Patna has received Cabinet approval

The seventh bridge across the Ganga in Patna has received Cabinet approval

The Digha-Sonepur rail-cum-road bridge (JP) will be situated 180 meters upstream from the western side of the six-lane cable-stayed bridge, which is planned to be constructed between Digha and Sonepur across the Ganga in Patna.

On December 27, the Union Cabinet gave its approval to build a 6-lane, 4.56-kilometer bridge over the Ganga to link the Patna, Bihar, residential areas of Sonepur and Digha.

The new bridge will serve to seamlessly link the northern and southern regions of Bihar. It would be the seventh bridge constructed across the Ganga in Patna.

The Digha-Sonepur rail-cum-road bridge (JP) will be situated 180 meters upstream from the western side of the six-lane cable-stayed bridge, which is planned to be constructed between Digha and Sonepur across the Ganga in Patna.

In a press statement on December 27, the government said that the project's anticipated total cost is Rs 3,064.45 crore, of which Rs 2,233.81 crore is allocated for civil construction.

According to the administration, the bridge would facilitate simpler and quicker transit, which will advance the state's overall development, particularly in North Bihar.

The project was put out to bid by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways in January 2023, and building will now begin after the Cabinet's approval.

The project, which would cost Rs 3,064.45 crore and be completed in 42 months, will be created via an engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contract.

In addition to doing construction work, the business chosen for the job will look after the bridge for three and a half years after it is finished.

J P Setu is a rail-cum-road bridge that spans the Ganga, linking Sonpur's Pahelja Ghat with Patna's Digha Ghat in the Saran district of Bihar. This bridge, which bears the name of the renowned liberation warrior Jayaprakash Narayan (JP), connects the northern and southern regions of Bihar conveniently via road and rail.

The project is 6.925 km long in total, with an additional 4.556 km of bridge and 2.369 km of approach road needed to link the bridge to the road.

A cable-stayed bridge between two pillars is referred to as an extra-dosed bridge. In these bridges, the deck bears the remaining weight, with the cables carrying 50% of the total load. This kind of bridge uses fewer pillars, which lowers building costs and times.

In addition, the bridge will be connected to various areas of the city by four loops, totaling 3.085 kilometers. Sonpur and AIIMS Patna will be connected by Loops 1 and 4, while Sonpur and Ganga Path Road will be connected by Loop 2.

The project would strengthen the transportation network connecting the Ganga-divided states of North and South Bihar, as well as the state capital Patna and its environs.

Currently, a rail/road bridge connects Sonpur, which is situated on the north bank of the Ganga in the Saran district, with Digha, which is located in Patna and on the south bank, just for light vehicle traffic.

Residents of Patna, Saran, Vaishali, Muzaffarpur, and the East and West Champaran districts would particularly benefit from this bridge. Additionally, it will make it easier to visit the state's Buddhist landmarks, including Kesariya, Vaishali, Lauria, and Bodh Gaya. Additionally, it will becoming simpler to visit Valmiki Tiger Reserve at the same time.

The sole tiger reserve in Bihar is the Valmiki Tiger Reserve, which stretches the easternmost portion of India's Himalayan lowland forests.

The government claims that the project's economic analysis findings demonstrate an economic internal rate of return (EIRR) that is 17.6 percent in the base scenario and 13.1 percent in the worst case, with the savings in distance being the primary cause. Time travel also occurred.