Patna, Oct 1 (PTI) Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday stressed the need for comprehensive water management, river dredging, protective wall construction, and a water grid to make Bihar flood-free.
He was speaking after inaugurating the ‘Bihar Investor Summit 2026: The Emerging Investment Destination of India’ in Patna.
Gadkari said technology needs to be combined with innovative policies and a futuristic vision to address the state’s flood problem in a cost-efficient manner.
“On the lines of national highway and power grids, implementing a water grid system and transferring water from one basin to another could help manage excess water flow in the state,” Gadkari said.
He also emphasised river dredging as a measure to reduce flood risk.
“I talked to officials of NHAI. We are willing to conduct dredging and take away the silt free of cost. The silt can be used as material for building highways. If the Bihar government allows for such a policy, I can assure that the flood problem can be solved efficiently at low cost,” he said.
The minister said deep-water channels created by building embankments or protective walls could also boost inland water transport and reduce logistics costs, benefiting industry, trade, business and investment.
Gadkari also recalled that a dam project on the Kosi River in Nepal could not be completed during his tenure as Union water resources minister due to land acquisition and other factors. The project, he said, “could have reduced Bihar’s flood threats significantly”.
Gadkari further outlined major infrastructure investments in Bihar, including an allocation of Rs 3.88 lakh crore for highway construction, covering completed, ongoing and upcoming projects aimed at reducing travel time and improving economic connectivity.
“Highway projects worth Rs 3.88 lakh crore are planned in Bihar, with the government targeting completion of works worth around Rs 5 lakh crore by the end of its current tenure,” he said.
The minister said projects covering 2,910 km had already been completed at a cost of around Rs 33,000 crore, while works covering another 1,878 km, involving an investment of about Rs 65,100 crore, were underway.
Upcoming projects were estimated to involve an investment of around Rs 3.25 lakh crore, he added.
“The length of national highways in Bihar has increased from around 4,615 km in 2014 to nearly 6,500 km now,” Gadkari said.
“The 440-km Ram-Janki Marg, costing around Rs 5,440 crore, is about 27 per cent complete and is targeted for completion by November 2028. Projects worth around Rs 22,000 crore under a corridor connecting sites associated with Lord Buddha are also underway, with about 90 per cent of the work completed,” he said.
Furthermore, according to a statement issued by PIB, the Gorakhpur-Siliguri high-speed corridor, estimated to cost around Rs 72,000 crore, is a key connectivity project for the state.
“Of the total investment, around Rs 52,000 crore is expected to be spent in Bihar, with 410 km of the 526-km corridor falling in the state,” Gadkari said.
He also said the Patna-Purnia Greenfield Expressway proposal had been sent for Cabinet approval.
“The 218-km Buxar-Bhagalpur high-speed corridor, estimated to cost Rs 10,000 crore, would comprise both brownfield and greenfield sections. A proposal for the 13.4-km Anisabad-Didarganj project in Patna, estimated to cost Rs 8,500 crore, has also been sent to the Cabinet,” the minister said.
During his address, Gadkari also highlighted the concept of ‘Waste to Wealth’, saying converting waste into economic value through knowledge, innovation and technology would be an important part of future development.
Citing examples such as sludge-to-water treatment projects and conversion of organic waste into CNG, he said the solid and liquid waste management economy alone could reach Rs 5 lakh crore.
Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, state’s Road Construction Minister Kumar Shailendra and Industries Minister Shreyasi Singh were also present during the occasion. PTI SUK MNB
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.