Patna’s north-south link road to be ready by June next year

PATNA: The city’s upcoming north-south connector road between R-block and Digha is on course for completion by June next year with around 35% of the work completed since work started on the project six months ago.
The Bihar State Road Development Corporation (BSRDC) managing director, Sanjay Kumar Agarwal, who made a site-visit on Thursday, said the partly six-lane link road between R-block and Digha will be the first in the city to have bus bays for smooth flow of traffic often obstructed by buses halting at intersections.
“Absence of bus bays on city roads cause traffic congestion, so bus bays will be created on the R-Block-Digha road. We have identified six locations for bus bays and other two will be built where required,” Agarwal said.
The bus bays will come up near Vikas Bhawan, Dhobi Ghat, Patliputra (pani tanki), two at R-Block and behind Software Technology Park and two more locations are yet to be identified,” he added.
Of total 6.3 km stretch, work on 1.2km road has been completed, including 550m between Mahesh Nagar and Indirapuri, 150m at Punaichak, 550m between Rajiv Nagar and Digha. Foundation has been laid at Rajiv Nagar to create elevated road.
Around 3.6km will be six lane while the remaining 2.7km will be elevated road. Three flyovers will come up at Jawaharlal Nehru path, Shivpuri and Rajiv Nagar.
“The bus bay will have facilities like public toilets (two units each for men and women), drinking water and furniture (bench and dust-bin). Of 150 trees that were obstructing the construction work of six/ four-lane, we have translocated some of them near the bus stand so that people can seat there without getting exposed to sunlight,” said Agarwal, who is also the state transport secretary.
“All trees have been successfully translocated at new locations,” he added.
The six-lane road will ensure better mobility, utility and liveability with common underground utility ducts for drains and electrical wiring, optical fibre cables, broadband, sewerage, water pipelines and gas pipeline.
The other facilities to be integrated include CCTV, noise barriers and other modern amenities. Agarwal said in future, the department will also plan to set up charging stations on this road for electric vehicles.
The BSRDC MD said there will be footpath, service lane and green-belt on either side. The green zone will be developed between service lane and main road. Under this project, the department has divided the green belt in three sections —R-Block to Hartali Mor, Visheshwarya Bhawan to Rajiv Nagar and Rajiv Nagar to Digha. Around 1,000 trees will be planted in the green belt.