Bihar's Ambitious Road Plan: From Nepal's Pashupatinath to Jharkhand's Baidyanath

Bihar's Road Construction Minister unveils plans for a new expressway connecting Pashupatinath temple in Nepal to Baidyanath Dham in Jharkhand, slated to enhance regional connectivity and economic activity. The project emphasizes boosting religious tourism and has been submitted to the Centre for approval.

In a major development, Bihar's Road Construction Minister Dilip Kumar Jaiswal announced on Tuesday the construction of a new expressway set to significantly impact the region's infrastructure. This ambitious project involves creating a direct, high-speed corridor reaching from the renowned Pashupatinath temple in Nepal to Baidyanath Dham in Jharkhand.

Jaiswal detailed the project while presenting the Road Construction Department's budget, which amounts to over Rs 8,260 crore, for the 2026–27 fiscal year in the legislative assembly. The proposed 250-km corridor will initiate in Kathmandu, traverse Bhimnagar, Birpur, and enter India via Bihar's Supaul district, moving through Madhepura, Saharsa, Khagaria, Munger, and Banka before culminating at Baidyanath Dham in Deoghar district.

The minister highlighted that the primary aim of this undertaking is to foster religious tourism and cultural exchange between the regions, alongside spurring economic growth in various districts and enhancing regional connectivity. Despite opposition walkouts during the session, Jaiswal noted the state's progress on other notable projects, including the Raxaul-Haldia and Darbhanga-Amas expressways, underlining the state's commitment to building a robust road network in eastern India.