PATNA: Union road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari on Saturday inaugurated the remaining three lanes (downstream) of the six-lane Koilwar bridge over the Sone river in Bhojpur through videoconferencing from New Delhi.
The much-awaited 1,528-metre-long and 32-metre-wide bridge, built parallel to the old Koilwar bridge, is expected to ease traffic and make travel easy for people between Patna and south Bihar towns as well as the eastern Uttar Pradesh. Three upstream lanes of the bridge were inaugurated earlier.
Speaking on the occasion, Gadkari said the Centre has sanctioned several national highways, mega bridges and linkages to new expressways that would improve road network in Bihar. “The construction work is being completed on time. I want to see roads and bridges in Bihar competing with the ones constructed in America,” Gadkari said.
While Gadkari inaugurated the bridge through remote control from Delhi, Union ministers, state ministers, MPs and MLAs were present at a function held at Koilwar.
The new six-lane bridge now stands parallel to the old Koilwar road-cum-rail bridge that was constructed in the late 19th century. Long traffic snarls on the old bridge was a routine affair.
“Union minister and Ara MP R K Singh had requested me for this bridge. I sanctioned this bridge and many roads for Bhojpur district and Ara parliamentary constituency. Singh is now free to visit my house for tea and snacks,” Gadkari said.
While Union minister and Buxar MP Ashwini Kumar Choubey said new bridge be named after the hero of 1857 revolt Mangal Pandey, Singh said that it be named after Veer Kunwar Singh or renowned mathematician Vashishtha Narayan Singh.
The much-awaited 1,528-metre-long and 32-metre-wide bridge, built parallel to the old Koilwar bridge, is expected to ease traffic and make travel easy for people between Patna and south Bihar towns as well as the eastern Uttar Pradesh. Three upstream lanes of the bridge were inaugurated earlier.
Speaking on the occasion, Gadkari said the Centre has sanctioned several national highways, mega bridges and linkages to new expressways that would improve road network in Bihar. “The construction work is being completed on time. I want to see roads and bridges in Bihar competing with the ones constructed in America,” Gadkari said.
While Gadkari inaugurated the bridge through remote control from Delhi, Union ministers, state ministers, MPs and MLAs were present at a function held at Koilwar.
The new six-lane bridge now stands parallel to the old Koilwar road-cum-rail bridge that was constructed in the late 19th century. Long traffic snarls on the old bridge was a routine affair.
“Union minister and Ara MP R K Singh had requested me for this bridge. I sanctioned this bridge and many roads for Bhojpur district and Ara parliamentary constituency. Singh is now free to visit my house for tea and snacks,” Gadkari said.
While Union minister and Buxar MP Ashwini Kumar Choubey said new bridge be named after the hero of 1857 revolt Mangal Pandey, Singh said that it be named after Veer Kunwar Singh or renowned mathematician Vashishtha Narayan Singh.
