Momentum Gathers For Buxar–Bhagalpur Expressway: DPR Tender Floated For Key Bihar Corridor

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has launched the process to appoint an agency for preparing the Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the Buxar–Bhagalpur Expressway.

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will oversee the project’s implementation, with the expressway intended to significantly shorten the current 375 km commute between Buxar and Bhagalpur, reported Jagran.

According to the recently released Request for Proposal (RFP), the initiative does not involve a greenfield route but will rather focus on upgrading existing national highways into a four-lane expressway with paved shoulders.

The expressway, dubbed a high-speed corridor, is expected to span approximately 240 km.

Notably, earlier proposals pegged the length at around 360 km, but the revised plan hints at excluding sections such as the Buxar–Patna stretch, which already includes upgraded roads like the Buxar–Koilwar–Bihta segment.

This stretch, recently widened to four lanes, is not access-controlled, while the Bihta–Patna elevated highway is currently under construction.

The project may still require additional land acquisition if the entire route is designated as a full expressway, given the 90 m standard width for such infrastructure.

The RFP, floated on 22 April, invites bids until 16 June. The chosen agency will have 270 days to complete the DPR, targeting a completion date by the end of 2026. With the Bihar Assembly elections approaching, the agency’s selection is anticipated before the polls.

Existing highways likely to be integrated and renamed under this corridor include NH 922 (Buxar–Patna), NH 31 (Patna–Munger), and NH 33 (Munger–Bhagalpur).

These roads are already four-lanes, except for a 78.5-kilometre stretch of NH 31 from Mokama to Munger.

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