The long-awaited Muzaffarpur-Barauni four-lane project is set to move forward, with the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) preparing to issue its tender in December. The tender process is expected to take about a month, paving the way for construction to begin by February next year. The project is estimated to cost around Rs 3,000 crore.
In a significant development, the construction of the Ramdayalu Road Over Bridge (ROB) has been integrated into this project. A joint survey was conducted by officials from NHAI and the Railways on Friday, and the design of the ROB is currently being finalised. It will be forwarded to the Railways for approval, following which the tender process will proceed after receiving the mandatory No Objection Certificate (NOC).
NHAI Project Director Ashutosh Sinha said efforts are being accelerated to complete the design and secure the NOC so the tender can be launched in December. However, incorporating the ROB has increased the overall project cost.
Earlier, the Bridge Construction Department had prepared a Rs 187 crore estimate for the ROB and even floated a tender. But the NOC was withheld since NHAI was already managing the four-lane project. Approving would have required altering both the design and the Detailed Project Report (DPR), prompting NHAI to take up the ROB work itself.
The project also includes the construction of a ring ROB to connect the Muzaffarpur-Barauni four-lane with the Muzaffarpur-Samastipur NH-28, along with links to the Ramdayalu-Bhagwanpur, Muzaffarpur-Hajipur, and Ramdayalu-Bhagwanpur national highways. The existing level crossing will be closed, and residents of Bhikhanpura and surrounding areas will use the new ring ROB for commuting.