CM Nitish Kumar addresses a gathering in Khagaria on Thursday

KHAGARIA/ DARBHANGA: CM Nitish Kumar on Thursday inaugurated the 963 meter long renovated B P Mandal Setu (Dumrighat bridge) on the confluence of Bagmati and Kosi rivers near Dumri village under Beldaur block in Khagaria district, 35 km from the district headquarters.

The CM also opened an approach road connecting Gandaul in Sahrasa district with Biraul in Darbhanga, which will provide better connectivity in Mithila region. The approach road is 12.67 km in length and has been constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 404.45 crore.

Traffic on the bridge, the lifeline of Kosi division , which served as a link road for the people of Saharsa, Madhepura and Supaul districts connecting NH-107 and NH-31, was closed on August 29, 2010 due to sliding of few pillars. A steel pile bridge, parallel to the damaged B P Mandal Setu was also washed away by floodwaters on July 16, 2012. Addressing a public meeting after inaugurating the bridge through remote control at Sonebersa Ghat, Nitish said the state has witnessed tremendous improvement in power situation, communication, education and health sector ever since the NDA government came to power. Patting his government for 'Har Ghar Bijli Yojna', Nitish said all villages in the state have been electrified. Addressing the inaugural ceremony of the approach road at Biraul in Darbhanga, the CM said, “The distance between Darbhanga and Saharsa has shortened to 42 km with the construction of this approach road. Earlier, the distance through NH was 120km.”

The CM added that he had earlier promised that people from anywhere in the state can reach Patna in six hours time and now his government is working to reduce the time to five hours. He also announced that the state government will install agriculture power feeders across the state by December 31, 2019, so that farmers can get uninterrupted power for irrigation. “Installation of agriculture feeders will be completed before the stipulated timeframe,” Nitish said.

