Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has inspected the ongoing construction of the Patna-Gaya-Dobhi four-lane expressway and urged officials to expedite the completion of the project. Once completed, the expressway will allow commuters to travel between Patna and Gaya in just two hours, significantly reducing travel time.

During his visit, the Chief Minister stopped at Basuhar Bridge in Punpun to review the progress of various infrastructure projects. He was accompanied by key officials including Minister-in-Charge Ashok Chaudhary and Principal Secretary of Road Construction Pratyaya Amrit. Ghulam Qadir, Project Director of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), said that the Chief Minister has ordered to open one lane of the railway bridge by September 30 and the entire project is expected to be operational by December.

The expressway project, which was initiated in 2010, has faced significant delays but is now nearing completion. It is 39 km long in Patna district, 44 km in Jehanabad district and 44.22 km in Gaya district and connects with the Grand Trunk (GT) Road near Dobhi. The project was initially estimated to cost over Rs 1,600 crore but the cost has escalated to over Rs 5,000 crore due to various challenges, including withdrawals from construction agencies and land acquisition issues.

With over 90% of the work completed, the expressway is expected to ease traffic congestion, especially by connecting to the Patna Bypass. It will also provide easier access to pilgrims travelling to Gaya, improving regional connectivity and development. The construction has gained momentum after the Patna High Court was involved in monitoring the progress.