The state of Bihar has a number of bridges, extending from few metres to a few kilometres. The history of long bridges goes back to the British Empire when the site for the Koilwar bridge (Abdul Bari bridge) was surveyed in 1851. Since then a number of small and large bridges have crept up. Some are even largest of their kind. Mahatma Gandhi Setu, joining Patna and Hajipur was India's longest river bridge from 1982 to 2017.
Also called Gandhi Setu or Ganga Setu is a bridge over the river Ganges connecting Patna in the south to Hajipur in the north of Bihar. [1] Its length is 5,575 metres (18,291 ft) [2] and it is one of the longest river bridges in India. [3] It was inaugurated in May 1982 by the then Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi. The bridge was approved by the Central Government in 1969 and built by Gammon India Limited over a period of ten years, from 1972 to 1982. It was built to connect North Bihar with the rest of Bihar. Before this bridge was constructed, Rajendra Setu, opened in 1959, was the only link to North Bihar. Since then, the Vikramshila Setu has also been built across the Ganges. Two more rail-cum-road bridges are currently under construction, between Digha and Sonepur [4] and at Munger.
A parallel Bridge is planned on Ganga, DPR Initiated
Koilwar Bridge, now named Abdul Bari Bridge, at Koilwar spans the River Sone. The bridge has been named after Professor Abdul Bari, academic and social reformer. The Koilwar Bridge (known as Sone Bridge when it was built) is amongst the older of the longer bridges in this subcontinent. Although construction started in 1856, it was disrupted by uprisings in 1857 and completed in 1862. It was inaugurated by the Viceroy Lord Elgin, who said, "... this magnificent bridge was exceeded in magnitude by only one bridge in the world". The 4,726 feet (1,440 m) bridge was designed by James Meadows Rendel and Sir Matthew Digby Wyatt. It remained the longest bridge in the Indian subcontinent till was overtaken by the Upper Sone Bridge in 1900. [5] [6] The steel rail-road bridge is shown in the film Gandhi . A two lane road (Old NH 30) runs just under the double rail tracks. Sand mining near the pillars of this old bridge has created structural problems recently. [7]
Rajendra Setu across the Ganges was the first bridge to link North Bihar and South Bihar. It was the first rail-cum-road bridge in independent India .The foundation stone for the rail-cum-road bridge between Mokama in Patna district and Simaria in Begusarai district was laid by Dr. Rajendra Prasad, the first President of India and inaugurated by Pt Jawaharlal Nehru and Shri Krishna Sinha, the first prime minister of India and first chief minister of Bihar respectively. It is about 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) long and carries a two lane road and a single line railway track. [8] It was opened in 1959. [9] A six-lane road bridge, carrying NH 31, parallel to the existing rail and road bridge, and a two line railway bridge are under construction [10] and expected to be completed in early 2024.
Nehru Setu (earlier referred to as the Upper Son Bridge), across the Son River, between Dehri-on-Son and Son Nagar, in Bihar, is the second longest railway bridge in India, after Vembanad Rail Bridge in Kerala. However, the latter is meant only for goods traffic. [11] [12] Jawahar Setu, the road bridge carrying NH 2 and running parallel to the Nehru Setu, was constructed in 1963–65. [13] The Government of Bihar sanctioned in 2008, a bridge across the Son River connecting Arwal and Sahar in Bojpur district. [14] The Koilwar bridge preceded the Nehru Setu and was opened in 1862. [15] [16] An anicut was constructed across the Son, a little upstream of the present Nehru Setu and Jawahar Setu, in 1873–74. The Indrapuri Barrage was constructed, 8 km upstream, and commissioned in 1968. [17]
Digha–Sonpur bridge, is a K-truss Bridge across river Ganges, connecting Digha Ghat in Patna and Pahleja Ghat in Sonpur. The bridge was completed in August 2015. The bridge provides easy Roadway and Railway link between Northern and Southern parts of Bihar. [18]
Earlier, Rajendra Setu was the only bridge that carries railway tracks across the Ganges in the state of Bihar which was opened in 1959. [19] [20] [21] Initially sanctioned as a rail bridge, the Ganga Rail Bridge project was converted to a rail-cum-road bridge in 2006. Total cost of the project was put at ₹13,890 million, out of which ₹8,350 million was for the rail part, and ₹5,540 million was for the road part. It was expected to be completed in five years. [22] The 4,556 metres (14,948 ft) bridge is amongst the longer bridges in India. [23] The total length of construction, including approaches, is 20 km. [24] It is a K-truss bridge. [25] [26]
Vikramshila Setu is a bridge across the Ganges, near Bhagalpur named after Vikramashila Mahavihara which was established by King Dharmapala (783 to 820 AD). Vikramshila Setu is 3rd longest bridge in India and 118 rank in world longest bridge in world. The 4.7-kilometre-long (2.9 mi) bridge serves as a link between NH 80 and NH 31 running on the opposite sides of the Ganges. It runs from Barari Ghat on the Bhagalpur side on the south bank of the Ganges to Naugachia on the north bank. It also connects Bhagalpur to Purnia and Katihar. This has reduced considerably the road travel distance between Bhagalpur and places across the Ganges. [27]
Shri Krishna Setu ( Munger Ganga Bridge) is a rail-cum-road bridge under construction across the Ganges, at Munger. The bridge will connect Munger-Jamalpur twin cities to various districts of North Bihar. The 3.19-kilometre-long (1.98 mi) bridge costing Rs. 9,300 million is located 55 km downstream of the Rajendra Setu near Mokama and 68 km upstream of the Vikramshila Setu at Bhagalpur. The bridge will form a link between NH 80 on the southern side of the Ganges and NH 31 on the northern side of the Ganges. It will also help to connect Jamalpur Junction on the Sahibganj Loop line of Eastern Railway to Sahebpur Kamal Junction on the Barauni-Katihar section of East Central Railway. [24] The Bridge will connect districts of Begusarai and Khagaria to the Divisional headquarters Munger city. Construction work on the bridge was inaugurated by Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Prime Minister, through video conference system in 2002. [28]
The Bakhtiyarpur-Tajpur Bridge currently under construction, will span the river Ganges, connecting Bakhtiyarpur in Patna and Tajpur in Samastipur. Upon completion, the bridge would provide easy Roadway link between Northern and Southern parts of Bihar. Chief minister of Bihar Shri Nitish Kumar laid the foundation stone for construction of the 5.575-kilometre-long (3.464 mi) bridge in June 2011. [29] Upon completion, the bridge will decongest the load on Mahatma Gandhi Setu and also reduce the traffic in the capital city of Patna. A bridge has been planned across the Ganges to connect Arrah and Chhapra. [30] A road bridge parallel to the existing rail and road bridge, Rajendra Setu, has also been planned. [31] The bridge would be 5.575 km bridge constructed at PPP mode across river Ganga that will connect Bakhtiyarpur in Patna district on NH 31 and Tajpur in Samastipur district on NH 28. The bridge will also require construction of altogether 45.393 km stretch of approach roads on both ends of the bridge. The total cost of the project is estimated at Rs 1602.74 crore out of which Rs 100 crores will be spent on acquiring land. Atfirst, Rs 917.74 crore is to be invested by Navayuga Engineering Company Limited (NECL) as viability gap fund on PPP basis. Rs 277.50 crore are to be invested by the Centre and Rs 307.50 crore by the state government. The Bihar government would also bear the expenses incurred on acquiring land. NECL, a Hyderabad base firm was selected through competitive bidding.
This Cable Stayed Bridge connects Aguwani Ghat (Khagaria District) and Sultanganj (Bhagalpur District) by crossing river Ganga in the State of Bihar.
The Project length comprises approach road of 25 km and bridge having length of 3.160 km including Cable Stayed span of 550m (150m+250m+150m). After completion, the travelling distance between Mithilanchal and Kosi region would be reduced by 50 km and the distance between Munger and Khagaria would be reduced to 35 km which will result in reduction in overall travel time, reducing traffic congestion, providing smooth connectivity and an alternative route to Vikramshila Setu. The proposed bridge is located at a distance of around 200 km from Patna.
The project involves the construction of a 3.16 km four-lane bridge. It includes the construction of pedestrian ways, medians and supporting walls, the installation of lighting system, safety and security systems, and the laying of street lines.
On 10 March 2014 tenders for construction contract were issued, with a submission deadline of 4 April 2014. SP Singla Constructions Pvt. Ltd has been appointed as construction contractor for the project. Rodic Consultants Pvt Ltd has been appointed as consultant and Cube Engitech Consultant Pvt Ltd as design consultant. Construction began on 9 March 2015 and are expected to be completed by November 2019.
On 4 June 2023 the Aguani Ghat experienced a bridge collapse while undergoing repairs. Nobody was reported injured. [32]
The Aguwani Sultanganj Ganga Bridge is an under-construction bridge over the Ganga River in Bihar, India. It was supposed to connect Khagaria district with Bhagalpur. On the June 4, 2023, the bridge collapsed for the second time. The first collapse happened on 29 April 2022. No casualties were reported in either incident.
The bridge was being constructed by the Bihar State Road Construction Corporation (BSRCC). The cost of the project was estimated to be ₹1,717 crore (US$208 million).
The cause of the bridge collapses is still under investigation. However, some experts have suggested that the design of the bridge may have been flawed. Others have said that the construction may have been shoddy. [33]
The collapse of the Aguwani Sultanganj Ganga Bridge has raised concerns about the safety of other under-construction bridges in India. The Indian government has ordered a review of all such bridges.
This incident has also caused economic and social disruption. The bridge was supposed to help boost trade and tourism in the region, while its collapse has also made it more difficult for people to travel between Khagaria and Bhagalpur.
The government has said that it will rebuild the bridge. However, it is not clear when the bridge will be completed. [34]
It is not that the government is not working in the direction, but the steps taken are still a fraction of what is needed. Bihar Government is planning to build two Pontoon bridges in parallel to Ganga Setu, in order to ease traffic on Ganga Setu. [35]
Sone River, also spelt Son River, is a perennial river located in central India. It originates near Amarkantak Hill in Pendra, Chhattisgarh and finally merges with the Ganges river near Maner in Patna, Bihar. The Sone River is the second-largest southern tributary of the Ganges after the Yamuna River. India's oldest river bridge Koilwar Bridge over Sone River connects Arrah with Patna. Sone river is famous for its sand across country. Multiple dams and hydro-electric projects run on its course towards the Ganges.
Munger, formerly spelt as Monghyr, is a twin city and a Municipal Corporation situated in the Indian state of Bihar. It is the administrative headquarters of Munger district and Munger Division. Munger was one of the major cities in Eastern India and undivided Bengal during Mughal period and British Raj. It is one of the major political, cultural, educational and commercial center of Bihar and Eastern India. Munger is situated about 180km from east of capital city Patna, about 480km west of Eastern India's largest city Kolkata and 1200km from country's capital New Delhi.
The East Central Railway is one of the 19 railway zones in India. It is headquartered at Hajipur and comprises Sonpur, Samastipur, Danapur, Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya, and Dhanbad divisions.
Mahatma Gandhi Setu is a bridge over the river Ganges in Bihar, India, connecting Patna in the south to Hajipur in the north. Its length of 5,750 metres (18,860 ft) makes it the fourth-longest river bridge in India. It was inaugurated in May 1982 in a ceremony in Hajipur by then-prime minister Indira Gandhi. From 1982 to 2017, Mahatma Gandhi Setu remained the longest bridge in India. Later, the Gandhi Setu rehabilitation project was undertaken to install triangular steel trusses on Mahatma Gandhi Setu.
Bakhtiyarpur is a town and a municipality notified area, near Patna City in Patna district in the state of Bihar, India. Bakhtiyarpur is under the Patna Sahib, and is a Vidhan Sabha constituency of Bihar in Patna District under the Barh sub-division of Bihar. It is a major railway junction in Danapur railway division, ECR. The incumbent Chief Minister of Bihar, Nitish Kumar belongs to Bakhtiyarpur.
Vikramshila Setu is a bridge across the Ganges, near Bhagalpur in the Indian state of Bihar. It is named after the ancient Mahavihara of Vikramashila which was established by King Dharmapala.
Koilwar Bridge, at Koilwar in Bhojpur spans the Sone river. This 1.44 km long, 2-lane, rail-cum-road bridge connects the city of Arrah with Patna, the capital of Bihar state in India. The bridge is named after Indian academic and social reformer Prof. Abdul Bari, and is presently the oldest operational railway bridge in India, standing since 4 November 1862. It is shown in the 1982 Oscar award winning film Gandhi, directed by Richard Attenborough. From 1862 to 1900, Koilwar Bridge remained as the longest river bridge in India.
Nehru Setu is a railway bridge across the Son River, connecting Dehri-on-Son and Son Nagar, in Bihar.
Rajendra Setu, or Simaria Bridge, is a bridge across the Ganges that was the first to link the northern and southern portions of the state of Bihar. The location of the bridge was based on the work of M. Visvesvaraya, who was more than 90 years old at the time. In a wheelchair, he visited the bridge site on the special request of Bihar's chief minister, Shri Krishna Sinha. It was the first bridge over the Ganges to be built in independent India.
The Digha–Sonpur bridge or J. P. Setu is a rail-cum-road steel truss bridge across river Ganga, connecting Digha Ghat in Patna and Pahleja Ghat in Sonpur. It is named after Indian independence activist Jayaprakash Narayan. It provides easy roadway and railway link between north and south Bihar.
Shri Krishna Setu NH 333B is a rail-cum-road bridge across the Ganges, at Munger in the Indian state of Bihar and named after first Chief Minister of Bihar Shri Krishna Singh. The bridge connects the Munger-Jamalpur twin cities in Munger District to various districts of North Bihar. Srikrishna Setu Munger Ganga Bridge is the third rail-cum-road bridge over Ganga in Bihar.
The Mokama–Barauni section connects Mokama Junction and Barauni Junction in the Indian state of Bihar.
Digha is a residential neighbourhood in Patna. The area is served by Digha PS under Patna Police. Digha is mostly known for the "Ghats" mean place near Ganga river. Digha is also known for Rnet Software's, ITI college and WITI college. It comes under Digha. There is a place called Digha Ghat Chauhatta and a colony named Haripur colony. The JP Setu or Digha Rail-Road Bridge is started from Digha to Sonpur which connects Patna to Sonpur. This is the resident place of an international repute poet namely Tapeshwar Prasad Yadav. He has been selected as one of the awardees in the Category: *Poet of the Year* for the title: *Embers of My Dream* by ukiyoto Literary Awards 2022. Digha has now become the first destination for people who entered in Patna from other district of Bihar from Sonpur route.
JP Ganga Path is a 4 lane expressway along the Ganga river in Patna, Bihar, India. It is being jointly constructed by the Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO) and the Government of Bihar. Jp Ganga Path was planned to ensure a smooth flow of traffic between east Patna and west Patna, and ease the traffic congestion at Ashok Rajpath.
The Bakhtiyarpur–Tajpur Bridge, currently under construction, will span the river Ganges, connecting Bakhtiyarpur in Patna and Tajpur in Samastipur in the Indian state of Bihar. Upon completion in Dec 2026, the bridge will provide an easy roadway link between the northern and southern parts of Bihar.
Arrah–Chhapra Bridge is the longest multi-span extradosed bridge in the world with a main bridge length of 1,920 m (6,300 ft). The bridge crosses over the Ganges River in India, connecting Arrah in Bhojpur district to Chhapra in Saran district of Bihar state. The bridge provides a roadway link between the northern and southern parts of Bihar. The bridge opened for public use on 11 June 2017.
The Kacchi Dargah–Bidupur Bridge, currently under construction, will span the river Ganges, connecting Kacchi Dargah in Patna and Bidupur in Hajipur in the Indian state of Bihar. Upon completion in 2025, the bridge will provide an easy roadway link between the northern and southern parts of Bihar and will connect two major national highways, linking NH 31 to NH 322.
New Koilwar Bridge, at Koilwar in Bhojpur is a 1.52 km long, 6-lane wide road bridge over the Sone river. It connects Arrah with Patna, the capital of Bihar state in India and also carries Buxar-Arrah-Patna national highway (NH-922). New Koilwar Bridge is named after Indian mathematician and Padma Shri awardee Vashishtha Narayan Singh (1946–2019). New Koilwar Bridge is 500 metres north and parallel to the existing 2-lane wide Koilwar Bridge. The construction work of all 6-lanes completed and Bridge is fully opened to public on 14 May 2022.
Patli Path is an elevated road in Patna, the capital of Bihar. It was inaugurated by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on 30 November 2020. At the time of inauguration of this elevated road, it was the longest elevated road of Bihar and seventh in India.