Traffic congestion on Patna-Buxar highway will be resolved soon: Bihar Dy CM

Patna, Jan 23 Residents of Patna, Saran, and Bhojpur have been facing severe traffic jams on National Highway 922 (Patna-Arrah Highway).

In response to the growing public inconvenience, Bihar’s Deputy Chief Minister and Road Construction Minister, Vijay Kumar Sinha, convened a high-level meeting on Thursday to devise a solution.

The meeting, conducted via video conferencing, included senior officials from the Road Construction Department, district administrations, and Superintendents of Police from Patna, Bhojpur, and Saran.

Sinha assured attendees and the public that the traffic congestion issue would be resolved soon with the implementation of several key initiatives.

The meeting was attended by senior officials, including the Additional Chief Secretary of the Road Construction Department, who presented detailed, point-wise facts about the traffic situation.

Additionally, the Additional Director General of Police (Traffic) gave a comprehensive presentation on the challenges and potential remedies.

Sinha emphasised that widening the stretch between Kanhauli Chowk and Koilwar to four lanes is crucial to alleviating the Bihta traffic jam.

“This road, under the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), will play a key role in reducing congestion. Officials from NHAI were present during the meeting and were directed to expedite the road-widening process,” Sinha said.

He also directed immediate repairs to be carried out on the 5-kilometer flank connecting Manbhavan Chowk (Bhojpur) to Jhanga Chowk (Saran). This repair is expected to provide relief by easing the flow of vehicles and mitigating traffic jams significantly.

To ensure smoother traffic management, round-the-clock police deployment has been arranged at major congestion points. Special instructions have been issued to facilitate hassle-free movement for small vehicles, which are often disproportionately affected by traffic snarls.

An alternative route from Naghar (NH-139) to Pareb (Bihta) is under consideration. This route will serve as a bypass, redirecting vehicles away from bottlenecks at Bihta Chowk. Once completed, vehicles coming from Kanpa-Bikram will be able to reach Bhojpur directly without entering Bihta Chowk.

Sinha reiterated the government’s commitment to resolving the Bihta jam problem as quickly as possible.

“All the concerned officials have been directed to make concerted efforts and carry out necessary construction and improvement works. Smooth traffic flow in the state is a priority under the guidance of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar,” Sinha said.

The four-lane NH 922 is a key route to connect Delhi to Patna, via Poorvanchal Expressway, Agra-Lucknow Expressway and Yamuna Expressway.

Source: IANS