Significant progress has been made in the implementation of the much-awaited Buxar-Bhagalpur Expressway project. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Government of India, has initiated the process of selecting an agency to prepare the Detailed Project Report (DPR).
It has been confirmed that the project will involve developing the existing road into a four-lane highway, rather than a greenfield project. The RFP clarifies that the main objective is to develop the existing road as a four-lane highway with paved shoulders.
The invitation to bid mentions that the proposed highway between Buxar and Bhagalpur is referred to as a high-speed corridor or expressway. The estimated length for DPR development is approximately 240 kilometers. The selected agency will have 270 days to complete the DPR, expected by the end of 2026.
The current average road length between Buxar and Bhagalpur is about 375 kilometers. Earlier proposals estimated the expressway's length at around 360 kilometers. The latest tender suggests that only a portion of the existing road will be developed, possibly excluding the Buxar-Patna stretch.
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The Buxar–Koilwar–Bihta section was recently upgraded to a four-lane highway, although not as an access-controlled expressway. The elevated four-lane highway from Bihta to Patna is already under construction. Land acquisition will be necessary if the government agrees to develop the entire stretch as an expressway. The standard road width for an expressway is 90 meters.
The tender was published on April 22, and interested agencies can submit proposals until June 16. The agency selection is expected before the Bihar Assembly elections. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is responsible for project implementation.
The tender notice indicates that several existing NH sections between Buxar and Bhagalpur will be combined and renamed. This includes NH 922 from Buxar to Patna, NH 31 from Patna to Munger, and NH 33 from Munger to Bhagalpur. These roads are already four-lanes, except for a 78.5-kilometre stretch of NH 31 from Mokama to Munger.