Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates the Aunta-Simaria Bridge over River Ganga, enhancing Bihar’s connectivity and reducing travel distance (PTI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the much-anticipated Aunta-Simaria Bridge over the River Ganga on Friday, which is a big leap forward in infrastructure development in Bihar states. The 1.86-kilometer bridge built at a cost of ₹ 1,870 crores on National Highway 31 will bring down the distance between Mokama in Patna district and Begusarai by more than 100 kilometers.
More than just a bridge, this project promises to be a lifeline with great connectivity, speedy travel, and economic opportunities in poll bound Bihar.
The newly inaugurated structure runs parallel to Rajendra Setu, another two-lane bridge which has been under strain for several years due to its worsening condition. Heavy vehicles have been often rerouted, and day-to-day traffic jams have become an everyday concern for commuters.
ALSO READ: PM Modi Set to Inaugurate New Metro Routes in Kolkata on August 22
This Aunta-Simaria Bridge is meant to resolve this bottleneck and provide direct routes to commuters and companies.
The bridge, therefore, strengthens ties not just between Mokama and Begusarai but between the whole of North Bihar and South Bihar. In particular the northern districts of Supaul, Madhubani, Purnea and Araria should gain massively from this.
From the south, so will Sheikhpura, Nawada, and Lakhisarai. It is expected to enhance religious tourism by providing access to Simaria Dham, where the illustrious poet Ramdhari Singh Dinkar is said to have been born.
In addition to the bridge, the Prime Minister also inaugurated part of a four-lane Bakhtiyarpur–Mokama section of NH-31 that had been constructed at a cost of nearly ₹ 1,900 crore. With the construction of the highway expansion and the newly completed bridge, the time of travel is reduced significantly, and the easy movement of heavy-duty cargo is expected to take place at a faster pace leading to smooth regional connectivity.
ALSO READ: Massive Crowd Greets PM Modi at Gaya Ji Rally | WATCH
This inauguration has symbolic weight as PM Modi waved his traditional gamcha when he was standing on the bridge together with Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and cheered upon by crowds. Thereafter, followed by a road show triggered by such important event, underscoring the importance infrastructural and political the project holds in an election-sensitive state.
Projects worth more than ₹13,000 crore were unveiled during the visit, and the government seems to have decided to put the vision of economic growth, connectivity, and regional balance in Bihar ahead. The Aunta-Simaria Bridge is not just an engineering marvel most of all; it is an idea now transformed into quicker travel, greater trade and stronger ties among cultures.
As Bihar walks into a new phase of infrastructural change, this bridge stands tall as a symbol of progress and promise for millions across the state.
ALSO READ: SC Redefines Stray Dog Policy: From Shelters to Sterilisation and Safe Feeding Zones
