Buxar: The road project connecting Janeshwar Mishra Bridge over the Ganga river from Brahmapur in Buxar district to Bayasi village in Uttar Pradesh’s Ballia district has gathered pace, with the Bihar Rajya Pul Nirman Nigam Limited (BRPNNL) initiating the land acquisition process.Under the project, land across 701 khesras in Simri, Brahmapur and Chakki circles of Buxar district will be acquired. Officials said the proposed road will start near Ramgarh village in Brahmapur block and extend to Bayasi village in Ballia district.The total length of the project is 13 km, including 11 km to be constructed by the Bihar govt and remaining 2 km by the Uttar Pradesh counterpart. The project is estimated to cost around Rs386 crore.Officials said nearly 5 km of the required land is govt-owned, while private land will be acquired for the remaining stretch. The process accelerated after district land acquisition officer, Buxar, Vinit Kumar prepared the Social and Economic Impact Assessment Report.“Land acquisition proceedings have been initiated in several mauzas under Simri, Brahmapur and Chakki circles,” he said.The project includes construction of nine minor bridges and culverts along the route, officials said. Near Gayghat village, the old and dilapidated bridge over Dharmavati river will be demolished and replaced with a modern structure. The Buxar district administration has assured compensation to affected farmers as per govt norms.Authorities are also planning skill development programmes and self-employment support for affected families.Shivji Singh, a resident of Balua, said the new road would ease travel for devotees from both Bihar and Uttar Pradesh during Shrawan and Mahashivratri.BJP district president Omprakash Bhuvan said the project would promote religious tourism, trade, revenue generation and local employment opportunities in Buxar district.JD(U) district president Rajkumar Sharma, a resident of Brahmapur, said the project would create a new connectivity corridor by linking existing rural roads and reducing travel time for commuters.Ajit Kumar, junior engineer, BRPNNL, said the land acquisition process has officially begun. He added that soil testing for the construction of the road, bridges and culverts has been completed, while site demarcation work has also been finalised.“Construction work is expected to gain speed after the completion of the remaining administrative formalities,” he said.