Work on road from R-Block to Digha rolls

Patna: The road construction department has started work to convert the R-Block to Digha rail line into a road that is expected to bring major relief for city traffic.

Last month, the railways had agreed to transfer 71 acres of land to the state government on which a four-lane road will be constructed.

The state government has given the Bihar State Road Development Corporation Ltd (BSRDC) the responsibility to construct the road.

The railway land was virtually of no use and an obstacle for commuters whenever the train used to pass through the busy Bailey Road.

Sanjay Kumar Agarwal, secretary, transport department, who has been given additional charge as BSRDC managing director, on Wednesday inspected the 8km stretch.

The BSRDC will prepare the concept report in the next one week, followed by a detailed project report for the new road.

The BSRDC managing director has asked Patna district magistrate Kumar Ravi to ensure that the stretch is made encroachment-free.

The railways has transferred the land to the state government for Rs 221 crore.

The measurement of the stretch has also been completed, and the district administration has also conducted a drone-powered survey.

“During the inspection, I along with other officials of the BSRDC, found encroachment at few places and I said the encroachment should be timely removed,” Agarwal told The Telegraph after the inspection on Wednesday. “In the initial plan, there would be a four-lane road but at many places we found the area for even a six-lane road. We have decided to first complete the concept report in which we will chalk out what should be built where,”

At present, the railways runs local trains on this route on which it spends around Rs 1 crore annually, but it earns around Rs 60,000 from sale of tickets. Once the express road is constructed, it would ease traffic movement in the state capital.

Agarwal said the BSRDC has asked the survey report from the district administration to check the actual width and length of the stretch.

“We will explore all possibilities on how the land can be used in the best way for convenience of the people the of state capital. We will complete the road projects with all the facilities. As the road will pass through the populated area we have to take every single angle very carefully. Initially it seems there would be underpass as well like Hartali Mor apart from small bridges. The actual number would be mentioned in the DPR,” Agarwal said.

The construction work is expected to start in the end of 2018 or the first week of January 2019 once the railway track is removed from the road. According to railway experts, the track was laid by the British government to send grains to godowns. On July 11, 2004, then railway minister Lalu Prasad started the local train.

Courtesy: The Telegraph