Centre sanctions Rs 973 crore for Bhagalpur-Dumka 4-lane road

BHAGALPUR: The obstacles in the construction of four-lane National Highway (NH) 133E, connecting Bhagalpur with Dumka (Jharkhand) between Bhagalpur and Hansdiha have been removed with the Union ministry of road transport and highways (MoRTH) approving the technical and administrative bid besides sanctioning Rs 973 crore for the 36km stretch between Bhagalpur and Dhaka Mor (Banka district) as the first package for NH-133E.
The 36km stretch between Bhagalpur and Dhaka More will be constructed on engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) mode. The MoRTH has also cautioned the state's road construction department that the sanction for the NH-133E may lapse if the work order is not awarded to the executing agency by August this year.
In 2018, a detailed project report (DPR) was finalized by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and submitted for approval to MoRTH for upgrading the 75km of then SH into four-lane NH-133E between Bhagalpur and Hansdiha (Jharkhand) along with construction of few bridges and conversion of culverts falling on the stretch.
The total cost of the project then was Rs 1,108 crores only for the 75km stretch. However, the DPR remained stuck since then and now the proposal to start work on 36km has been approved.
Kamal Prakash, under-secretary in MoRTH, in his communique to the secretary of RCD, government of Bihar, stated that the construction of 36km of NH-133E has been given technical and administrative approval along with financial sanction.
NHAI sources said the width of the four-lane NH 133E would be increased to 22 metres.
Referring to EPC mode, the NHAI sources said it is a type of construction contract where the contractor/service provider is responsible for all the engineering, procurement and construction activities to deliver the completed project to the employer or owner (herein government department) within a predefined time and cost. It is a faster mode for the completion of the project, added a source.