The December 17 report of The Telegraph on the state development commissioner’s nod to the proposed flyover

Patna, Jan. 25: The state government has released Rs 48 crore for the construction of the flyover between Sheikhpura Mor and Jagdeo Path Mor on Bailey Road. Its construction would begin in the current fiscal.

The flyover would be constructed at a cost of Rs 170 crore. The construction work would be completed within three years.

On December 17, 2011, The Telegraph had reported that an empowered committee headed by the state’s development commissioner had given its go-ahead to the construction of the flyover.

A senior officer of the road construction department said: “The eastern end of the 2.275-km flyover would be near Sheikhpura Mor and its western end would be to the west of the Jagdeo Path Mor. The state government has sanctioned Rs 48 crore out of Rs 170 crore. The rest of the fund will be released in instalments. The construction of the proposed flyover will begin in the current fiscal itself and we have set a deadline to complete the work in three years.”

Sources told The Telegraph that the detailed project report has been completed and tenders for the proposed flyover would be floated soon. “It would be a four-lane flyover having a width of 25m. Its design has been made in such a way that the pillars will take minimum space, as it would be a single-pillar flyover,” an official of the department said, adding that the single pillar flyover takes minimum space and would hardly affect the traffic. Double-pillar flyovers take a lot of space, which become an obstacle for the traffic below the flyover.

On why the flyover is being constructed at the area, which already has a four-lane road, the officer said: “The traffic on this stretch would increase several times once the Sonepur-Digha rail-cum-road bridge across the Ganga is ready. Many vehicles from north Bihar would enter Patna from this end.

“This specification has been made keeping in mind the requirement of service roads, which would run parallel to the bridge on the both sides. It would ensure smooth traffic flow even during the construction period,” he said.

He added that the flyover would also help avoid the traffic congestion in the area.

At present, vehicles from north Bihar enter Patna after crossing the Gandhi Setu, which is on the eastern side of the city, whereas the under-construction rail-cum-bridge would be on the western side of the city.

The flyover would be constructed by Bihar Rajya Pul Nirman Nigam Limited, a wing of the road construction department.