Railway fast-tracks ₹510-cr rail bridge in Bihar

Indian Railways has fast-tracked the construction work of the rail bridge in Bihar. Atal Bihari Vajpayee laid the foundation stone of the two-km-long railway mega-bridge on river Kosi in 2003. It was sanctioned at a cost of ₹323.41 crore, which has now escalated to ₹516.02 crore. The bridge is considered of strategic importance for the country and seeks to provide a shorter route to the northeast region. It is expected that the operational line will improve ground accessibilities as well as the nation's capability to transport men, machines and material from the northern part of India to the Northeastern states of the country through an alternate route. Currently, trains from the Northeast, to go anywhere in the country, have to come down to Katihar and Malda through what is called the 'chicken neck'. Thus, the bridge will ease congestion in the 'chicken neck'. With this bridge, the route will be opened up through Darbhanga, Nirmali, and New Jalpaiguri from where the route to Assam starts.